Friday, September 18, 2009

GRABBEN I GRAVEN BREDVID
(THE GUY IN THE GRAVE NEXT DOOR)

Cine Europa
Cinema 1 Shang Cineplex




Well don't let the title deceive you into thinking this is a horror flick. This Swedish movie is an odd couple romantic love story about Benny and Desiree. Desiree is a sophisticated librarian who is into music and the arts. While Benny is a farmer who has 24 milking cows and let's say he isn't really into the finer things in life. One day their paths cross at the cemetery of all places. Desiree is visiting the grave of her husband while Benny is (as the title suggests) the guy in the grave next door. Well not literally! He is visiting the tombs of his parents.

The rest of the film presents their whirlwind romance. Their different cultural backgrounds and contrasting life styles posing major hindrance to their blooming relationship. As well as the prejudices they face from their respective friends. Clearly they are poles apart in more ways than one. Yet their relationship is passionate and works to a certain degree. As expected no love story can have a happy ending unless there is some crisis/conflict to complicate matters. But do not despair because eventually they dramatically do end up in each other's arms. I didn't mean to spoil the ending but it was quite predictable from the get go.

A cutesy chick film Swedish style complete with funny lines, tense dramatic moments and the feel good factor reminiscent of most love stories. Dialogue is entirely in Swede with English subtitles. This film proves that yes love is possible even between two contrasting personalities and yes they live happily ever after.

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