TJE 7/27 - You, the Living (2007)

Roy Andersson's apocalypse comedy "Songs From the Second Floor" was one of the most unique and memorable Swedish films in recent memory, so I was curious about what he'd follow it up with. "You, the Living" came seven years later, and feels like more of the same, only without the apocalypse stuff. Here we have a collection of short, dark, comic scenes, about ordinary people living out their ordinary lives. Most of the characters are sad and miserable, seeking to escape their unhappiness. There is nothing as bleak and horrifying as the content of "Songs From the Second Floor." The most serious episode of violence is probably the fed-up barber (Kemal Sener) who ruins a rude man's haircut. There are some fanciful touches, including dream sequences and musical interludes, and the tone is altogether lighter, if not really much happier. Several characters are members of, or have some connection to a group of jazz musicians who call themselves the Louisiana Brass Band.( Read more... )