Play
Ruben Ostlund’s thoughtful and occasionally harrowing film Play, about youngsters in Sweden being harassed and robbed of their mobile phones and wallets by a gang of other youths, is a fascinating exercise in psychology in a specific social environment, and makes and interesting companion piece to the director’s last film Involuntary (HIFF 2008).
Set against the inner city backdrop of central Gothenburg, the film details an elaborate scheme known as the “little brother number,” involving role-play and gang rhetoric rather than pure physical violence. Based on a series of real-life incidents recorded by Swedish police, the scheme relies on subtle and implied menace rather than brute force.
(...) Ruben Ostlund remains a challenging and thoughtful filmmaker and the film offers plenty of food for thought.
Mark Adams, Screen International
Duration: 118 min
Dialogue: Swedish
Subtitles: English
Age limit: K15
