Force Majeure
Darkly comic drama and Cannes Jury-winner. A father struggles with his conscience and reputation after leaving his wife and kids to fend for themselves during what he thinks is a life-threatening avalanche.
"The sun is shining and the slopes are spectacular but, during a lunch at a mountainside restaurant, an avalanche turns everything upside down. With diners fleeing in all directions, mother Ebba calls for her husband Tomas as she tries to protect their children. Tomas, meanwhile, is running for his life... The anticipated disaster failed to occur, and yet the family's world has been shaken to its core, a question mark hanging over their father in particular. Tomas and Ebba's marriage now hangs in the balance as Tomas struggles desperately to reclaim his role as family patriarch." (Cannes Film Festival)
- Director:
- Ruben Östlund ('Play', 'Involuntary')
- Writer:
- Ruben Östlund
- Cast:
- Brady CorbetKristofer HivjuLisa Loven KongsliJohannes KuhnkeClara WettergrenVincent Wettergren
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Liam Maguren
flicksThis Cannes Jury-winner follows a father struggling with his conscience after leaving his wife and kids to fend for themselves during what he thinks is a life-threatening avalanche.
A psychological drama that explores the gap between who we really are and the roles we have learnt to play
Cinema is a fabricated world in which idealised images of femininity and masculinity flow like waterfalls from screens into popular culture. Most of it goes unchallenged but every now and then a film comes along to expose the fabricated nature of gender identity. This is the core premise of Force Majeure (2014), a film that works by shattering a father's...
"I’m a bloody victim of my own instincts!" - Tomas
Force Majeure is one of those unique films that you see once in a while. A movie that you might think you know what’s happening but completely turns on you and says “hey this is actually what this movie is about”. A Swedish family of four are on a vacation on the French Alps. While having a lovely lunch at the roof of the resort. An avalanche starts to...
Snow much fun :)
Swedish director Ruben Östlund’s movie is a social satire reminiscent of Luis Buñuel at his most mischievous. A Swedish family, at an Alpine ski resort, have their holiday turned upside down by an avalanche. Instead of heroically protecting his family, Tomas runs for his life, but not before saving his iPhone. Disaster’s averted, but Tomas’ status as head...
Variety
pressOstlund’s unsettling psychological thriller leads with the spectacular incident and studies its disastrous consequences on each of the family members involved. Visually stunning...
The Telegraph
pressMightily clever in its rather theatrical structure, but bracingly cinematic in its formal approach, the movie has a bold, ambiguous final act.
The Guardian
pressBrushes off the surface layer of human behaviour revealing ice underneath.
The Dissolve
pressÖstland writes the conflict between husband and wife beautifully, like a scab that gets picked at until it bleeds, and he does things cinematically, too.
Sydney Morning Herald
pressThis premise is extraordinarily rich in dramatic power, and it is explored here with forensic thoroughness.
Hollywood Reporter
pressShould’ve ended a reel or so before it actually fades to black, this is another solid and provocative feature from Ostlund
Flicks, Liam Maguren
flicksThis Cannes Jury-winner follows a father struggling with his conscience after leaving his wife and kids to fend for themselves during what he thinks is a life-threatening avalanche.
Variety
pressOstlund’s unsettling psychological thriller leads with the spectacular incident and studies its disastrous consequences on each of the family members involved. Visually stunning...
The Telegraph
pressMightily clever in its rather theatrical structure, but bracingly cinematic in its formal approach, the movie has a bold, ambiguous final act.
The Guardian
pressBrushes off the surface layer of human behaviour revealing ice underneath.
The Dissolve
pressÖstland writes the conflict between husband and wife beautifully, like a scab that gets picked at until it bleeds, and he does things cinematically, too.
Sydney Morning Herald
pressThis premise is extraordinarily rich in dramatic power, and it is explored here with forensic thoroughness.
Hollywood Reporter
pressShould’ve ended a reel or so before it actually fades to black, this is another solid and provocative feature from Ostlund
A psychological drama that explores the gap between who we really are and the roles we have learnt to play
Cinema is a fabricated world in which idealised images of femininity and masculinity flow like waterfalls from screens into popular culture. Most of it goes unchallenged but every now and then a film comes along to expose the fabricated nature of gender identity. This is the core premise of Force Majeure (2014), a film that works by shattering a father's...
"I’m a bloody victim of my own instincts!" - Tomas
Force Majeure is one of those unique films that you see once in a while. A movie that you might think you know what’s happening but completely turns on you and says “hey this is actually what this movie is about”. A Swedish family of four are on a vacation on the French Alps. While having a lovely lunch at the roof of the resort. An avalanche starts to...
Snow much fun :)
Swedish director Ruben Östlund’s movie is a social satire reminiscent of Luis Buñuel at his most mischievous. A Swedish family, at an Alpine ski resort, have their holiday turned upside down by an avalanche. Instead of heroically protecting his family, Tomas runs for his life, but not before saving his iPhone. Disaster’s averted, but Tomas’ status as head...
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