A Serious Game (2016) User Reviews

Love and Money

[Minnesota_Reid · 7/10 · 21 April 2017]

A Serious Game is a solid costume drama. The serious game is, of course, the game of love. Two young people meet and immediately fall deeply in love, but each marry other people for money. But they can't let their love go, so they screw up their lives and the lives of everyone around them.

It felt a lot like many other 19th century novels and plays. This one was actually from a 1912 novel, though you wouldn't know it aside from a reference to Bolshevism.

If this sort of story has any appeal to you, it is definitely worth a try.

Ignore the bad reviews - this is a subtle telling of an obsessive love

[seagull_2006 · 8/10 · 17 February 2021]

I liked this film ( stumbled upon by accident on Netflix ). I fail to understand it's critical reviews and accusations of bad acting and lack of passion . One critic ( not on here ) even criticised the lead actor for being "pale and slack shouldered" and being the antithesis of an American hero !! (Thank God for that )

To all the negative reviewers both here and on other sites - I don't agree! Yes, the film has a Scandinavian calm and subtlety about it which some viewers used to frenetic and " in your face " Hollywood movies might not understand. It has a mysterious ambient quality , reflected in the piano score and beautiful artistic shots of nature and of the city and the decor in the houses .

It's true the film isn't focused on red hot sex , and if this is what you're expecting then you'll be disappointed. But I did feel the main actors were excellent in their portrayal of an illicit love. Let's remember these are Scandinavians and maybe they're not going to be as excitable and overtly passionate as maybe other nationalities, but I felt their restraint and outward control while clearly struggling internally with jealousy ( especially the lead man ) were more convincing for this.

Give this film a go, ignore the negativity and you might be pleasantly surprised .

Flat with a touch of bad acting.

[jonathan-axel-lind · 2/10 · 4 April 2020]

Ouufh. don't know where to begin. Read the book instead. You will only be dissapointed about the bad acting and flatness. It could have been great, but falls deep into the "don't touch with a fork" tray of movies that should be forgotten for all eternity.

Love on the verge of life or death

[curt-hagerklo · 8/10 · 16 July 2019]

Very serious drama on the subject of young love which can't be forgotten until fulfilled.

Actually...

[philip-00197 · 3/10 · 5 July 2020]

The acting isn't all bad, which makes you wonder; how does Den Allvarsamma Leken manage to fall so, completely, flat on its face?

The overall sensation resembles that of a generic episode of an 80's soap, though with plenty of attention to detail with regards to the set - and a fair amount of money spent.

Lighting is an obvious culprit - arguably some of the worst this century. Most of the film feels like it's been shot in a supermarket with ice blue neon lights.

A full list of shortcoming would be extensive but a few more issues are worth addressing. The cinematography is appalling and the attempt to use a "hand held camera effect" manages to propel a really bad film into the realm of disaster.

It's no fun slaying, what is obviously, a serious attempt att creating art, however Pernilla August, well and truly, botched it. A fair amount of imagination is required to figure out which parts could have been done any worse.