Force Majeure

I had read good things about Ruben Ostlund's Cannes "A Certain Regard Jury Prize" winning film Force Majeure (2014). It certainly lived up to the hype and had I seen it last year, it surely would have been in my top five best films of the year. Ostlund has claimed that his goal in making the film was to increase the divorce rate. It questions what exactly is manhood in today's postmodern society. The story emanates from the reaction of Thomas (Johannes Kuhke) at a moment of jeopardy. The handsome father and husband of equally attractive Ebba (Lisa Lovin Kongsli) is with his family at ski resort in France eating lunch outdoors while controlled avalanches are being conducted by the resort with the aid of explosives. Seemingly one such avalanche has gone wrong and threatens to cover the hotel, so Thomas bolts for the inside not without grabbing his iPhone first, leaving his wife and children behind. The CGI filmed scene and use of explosions throughout highlight the impressive visual style that captures the majesty of the mountains and nature. It is a perfect example of how and when CGI should be used to enhance a film.  From this incident the relations between man and wife festers and breaks Thomas down who at first denies the incident then embraces and has a melt down complete with the worst man cry ever-said to have been inspired by a YouTube video of the same name. Before this climatic event takes place the incident causes friction between another couple, the divorced Mats (it is astonishing to see Game of Thrones Kristofer Hivjuv in a contemporary role) and his young girlfriend Fanni (Fanni Metelius), whom they have befriended on their stay. Mats questions how he would have reacted and Fanni, unfairly in my opinion suggests that he would have reacted the same as Thomas-causing an all-night argument. In the end Thomas and Ebba create an incident to restore equilibrium in the family and with the kids. The film ends with a somewhat odd coda that keeps the viewer questioning how it will affect the characters. It is a powerful and thought provoking film.