DVD Review: Sea, The (B-)

The Sea (2001)
Directed by Baltasar Kormakur
Starring Gunnar Eyjolfsson, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Helene De Fougerolles, Kristbjorg Kjeld
MPAA: UR
Grade: B-

Review by Scott Standish

If you think your family is messed up, you need to check out the freak zone family chronicled in Baltasar Kormakur's The Sea. An Icelandic version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (with an expanded family to boot), this emotionally charged drama will entertain and provoke you, until you are pretty darned spent. In other words, venture into the Sea only if you are prepared to handle the emotional turbulence of the treacherous waters.

Haraldur runs the family fish packing plant in a small Iceland town and he keeps urging his father to sell out, before the company goes under. His father refuses. They argue. Haraldur's brother August has been pretending to be in business school, but has instead been spending the money sent to him by his family to write songs and be a bit of slacker. The boys' sister Ragnheidur is a self centered film maker that just wants to avoid the family altogether (which is not such a bad idea in this case). The children return home to find some disturbing circumstances regarding their father's future and more importantly, his past.

The Sea is a dark, brooding film that one really has to be in the mood for. The characters are bitter, selfish and unusually angry at one another (calling Dr. Phil!) So, if you are in the mood for a knock down drag out fight with your family (and we all are at some times) you might want to pour yourself a glass of wine (or three) and watch this instead. The direction is decent and the film has some fine performances.

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