I recently saw this at the 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival and writer/director Jörgen Bergmark was on hand at the screening for a Q&A following the film. This is a great film for middle-aged adults with not a teen or twenty-something in sight in the entire film. This actually comes across as a stage play with it's four central figures but was written for film by its director Bergmark and co-written by fellow writer/director Jens Jonsson. Paper mill worker Erland (Rolf Lassgard) and his music composer wife Maj (Stina Ekblad) run a weekly marriage counseling and advise group at their church. Erland's best friend is a co-worker from the mill Sven-Erik who had some serious emotional problems a year ago on his 50th birthday that Erland helped him through. It's now Sven-Erik's 51st birthday and his wife Karin (Pernilla August) throws a big birthday party for to make up for the big 50th celebration that never took place. Erland and Karin get the hots for each other and Erland, ever the pragmatic marriage counselor, offers what he considers a "rational solution" to Karin, Maj and Sven-Erik. This is both a touching and comedic film about love, friendship and marriage for four people in their 50's. It's great theater on film with four veteran actors and I would give it a 8.5 out of 10 and recommend it.
Review of Det enda rationella
