Certain People (2011) User Reviews

Comedy and tragedy

[stensson · 8/10 · 12 February 2012]

They are in their early 35s, the hosts and the guests arriving at Katinka's birthday party. They expect everything to be as expected, when a terrible accident appears. The hostess' brother comes to the party together with his pick-up for the night! A girl who leads a simple quiz show in a commercial TV channel.

The problem isn't her vulgarity, but the fact that the quiz girl starts the thinking and feeling about the sophisticated's shortcomings. The screw is turned and they become more and more aware of their life being fakes, including love affairs, pregnancies and also the choice of not having children.

A very nasty but also compassionate film, which try to tear down the lies of an intellectual generation. It's their turn this time.

Broody, beautiful and interesting

[kim-ikonen · 8/10 · 21 October 2019]

I thought this movie was fabulous. It has that Berganesque pace where we get to follow the characters' existence at a country-side gathering, as they ponder life from their privileged hipster middle class perspective, causing both comedy and later, drama. It all starts to crumble when the new girlfriend Linda shows up, challenging their intellectual carefully curated self-images with her, to them, pop culture vulgarity. Gradually revealing all of them for whom they truly are, Yohanna Idha portrays Linda with a wonderful sense of humour and honesty, as well as heart-breaking vulnerability.

beautiful

[syknotty · 9/10 · 6 January 2012]

Wonderful pictures displaying some incredible camera-work. Impressive performances from a dedicated cast make for a well needed dark drama set where the workings of a group of friends are hurdled into conflict by the entrance of 'Linda'. Really a movie for the 30's crowd who will recognize the scenario which negotiates an important aspect of modern culture - the difficulty in allowing new members into existing circles. Yohanna Idha portrays Linda and her performance was not surprisingly awarded the Stocholm Film Festival actress of the year award -she was awesome. Anitha Schulmandid a wonderful job and Ulrika Ellemark also did one of the most powerful monologues I have seen come out of Swedish films in a long time. Coupled with the camera work and set - strong 9 points.

understated and very witty

[berlinsf · 9/10 · 28 November 2013]

I actually can't quite understand why the overall reviews are so poor–it is one of my favorite Scandinavian films. Besides doing a great deal with very little (simple set, few actors), it is extremely effective. Witty, maybe a little harsh on Swedish society, and humor that is dry throughout. It definitely pushes buttons. I can only imagine how much fun they had sitting around writing the script. Everyone is so caught in their roles they are at a complete loss for party crashers in the form of a shiftless twin brother and date that show up at Katinka's party. Mia Mountain's performance as Katinka is outstanding as she tries to maintain her sense of propriety and role in this uptight little world she's built around herself. The house, the job as curator, the deathly boring and servile boyfriend, the holdover childhood friends, and the brother!

Brilliant!!!