Funny, intelligent, disturbing and thought-provoking, The Square fully deserves the Golden Palm it was awarded at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.
Christian (Claes Bang) is the suave curator of a modern art museum in Sweden. When a generous donor makes possible the acquisition of a major new work called The Square. The Square, Christian decrees, will be a space where everyone is listened to, and in contrast to the outside world everyone can bring the wishes needs and demands and have them fulfilled. Christian uses his flair for effective communication strategies to attract the attention of the art critics in the international media to the new piece and he asks his media- team to come up with a provocative campaign. He also gives an interview to an American journalist Anne (Elisabeth Moss) and, after a party at the museum, the two spend the night together. When on the way to work one morning Christian’s phone, wallet and the cufflinks he got from his grandpa are stolen, the dark threat of a chaotic Hobbesian world begins to encroach on his life from outside the space of the museum, where he feels comfortably in control of the exhibits and performances he has selected to be shown. But slowly the jungle out there threatens to uncomfortably impinge on Christian’s hipster existence.
Ruben Œstlund’s The Square is a masterpiece of writing and direction, that effortlessly switches among the genres of fly-on-the-wall-documentary, satirical mockumentary and socio-political drama. In a highly entertaining and suspenseful manner Œstlund focusses on the issue of trust in a society which is increasingly divided between privileged economically, socially and culturally comfortable leftish intellectuals and people, often with immigrant backgrounds, who are struggling to make ends meet and are in danger of becoming homeless or already living on the street.
Funny, intelligent, disturbing and thought-provoking, The Square fully deserves the Golden Palm it was awarded at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Claes Bang is a credible and charismatic Christian (at times reminding us of the younger Pierce Brosnan when he played James Bond). Elisabeth Moss does a great job in her supporting role as the feisty American journalist Anne, who is ready to joust with him, at least in the private sphere. Terry Notary as the artist Oleg who is totally dedicated to his art-performance deserves a special mention.
For anyone interested in how modern art and modern western society interact and affect us, The Square is an exciting must see.
Christian (Claes Bang) is the suave curator of a modern art museum in Sweden. When a generous donor makes possible the acquisition of a major new work called The Square. The Square, Christian decrees, will be a space where everyone is listened to, and in contrast to the outside world everyone can bring the wishes needs and demands and have them fulfilled. Christian uses his flair for effective communication strategies to attract the attention of the art critics in the international media to the new piece and he asks his media- team to come up with a provocative campaign. He also gives an interview to an American journalist Anne (Elisabeth Moss) and, after a party at the museum, the two spend the night together. When on the way to work one morning Christian’s phone, wallet and the cufflinks he got from his grandpa are stolen, the dark threat of a chaotic Hobbesian world begins to encroach on his life from outside the space of the museum, where he feels comfortably in control of the exhibits and performances he has selected to be shown. But slowly the jungle out there threatens to uncomfortably impinge on Christian’s hipster existence.
Ruben Œstlund’s The Square is a masterpiece of writing and direction, that effortlessly switches among the genres of fly-on-the-wall-documentary, satirical mockumentary and socio-political drama. In a highly entertaining and suspenseful manner Œstlund focusses on the issue of trust in a society which is increasingly divided between privileged economically, socially and culturally comfortable leftish intellectuals and people, often with immigrant backgrounds, who are struggling to make ends meet and are in danger of becoming homeless or already living on the street.
Funny, intelligent, disturbing and thought-provoking, The Square fully deserves the Golden Palm it was awarded at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Claes Bang is a credible and charismatic Christian (at times reminding us of the younger Pierce Brosnan when he played James Bond). Elisabeth Moss does a great job in her supporting role as the feisty American journalist Anne, who is ready to joust with him, at least in the private sphere. Terry Notary as the artist Oleg who is totally dedicated to his art-performance deserves a special mention.
For anyone interested in how modern art and modern western society interact and affect us, The Square is an exciting must see.
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