Us (2013)

Swedish films are often plagued by the same problems: campy acting, unbelievable dialogue (definitely in the bad sense of the word) and a crappy plot. This film, however, shows younger blood and a lot less stodge than most of what's been made in Sweden over the past 100 years. It is a modern, not too over-the-top story of abuse between an abuser and the abused, where both they and their environment is concerned. The acting is mostly good, even though I feel that Skarsgård saves the couple where Åström fails due to her acting. Good direction, fair script, but there should have been more work done to make the timing work. I would have loved something more to turn this film up a notch, to make it feel more real and to really burn the viewer and make it feel that yes, relationship abuse is a pandemic. Overall: recommendable, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth (in the good sense).