House of Angels (1992)

Writer/director Colin Nutley's Swedish import is particularly interesting because we, in America, usually think of the Nordic countries as being quite open-minded. It shocks us when the bucolic citizenry of the small town in the film reject the wild woman (and her friends) who comes to settle there because we assume these Sweeds are open minded!

Nevertheless, Nutley populates the film with wonderfully quirky characters and shows us the hypocrisy of the members of a small town. Some meet in the woods for secret trysts, others wish to cheat in business deals and some attempt to pull of terrorist tactics. All of them, of course, have secrets. So it is in this way that Nutley allows the supposed "wild" characters to be more likable - because they are honest and sweet - and the more "normal" characters to be despicable - because they are not.

The film takes a while to get going but the sweet story and the quirky characters soon draw us in. Helena Bergstrom is particularly effective in the lead. This film may not break any new ground but it's a pleasant diversion for it's 2 hour plus running time.

Review written in 1996

Report Card

Script: B+

Acting: A

Cinematography\Lighting: A

Special Effects\Make Up: A

Music: A

Final Grade: A-