A love like this

[Ian]

Trust is a very good movie, I agree. Not very much like SML, mind (although I suppose it shares a similar line of two people who feel like outsiders finding something in each other). Very different characters and movie, mind!

Adrienne Shelly was lovely, too. Absolutely gutting what happened to her.

[hcd]

I would love a sequel too, with Moodyson in charge, and, as goes without saying, with Rebecka and Alexandra. Remake... no!

Same here: no remake please. And a sequel? What should it be about? I mean, they found each other. What's interesting enough to be shown in a sequel?

A spinoff would have been really cool. F.e. they hitched to Stockholm.

[kant1781]

And a sequel? What should it be about? I mean, they found each other. What's interesting enough to be shown in a sequel?

Oh yeah, I forgot! When two people who have fallen in love with each other under the most unlikely circumstances finally start some kind of relationship against all odds, it follows that only the first 30 minutes or so of this relationship will be interesting enough to be told. After that, nothing remarkable is going to happen to their love anymore and their lives will be boring. Yes, yes, that definitely makes sense!

Man, I can only hope for you that this is not how you view your real-life relations!

[Ian]

LOL Dave.

What baffles me just as much, is that no one thought to reunite Rebecka and Alexandra in a DIFFERENT movie.

Seems like a freakin' no-brainer to me.

[hcd]

Oh yeah, I forgot! When two people who have fallen in love with each other under the most unlikely circumstances finally start some kind of relationship against all odds, it follows that only the first 30 minutes or so of this relationship will be interesting enough to be told. After that, nothing remarkable is going to happen to their love anymore and their lives will be boring. Yes, yes, that definitely makes sense!

The apprehensions I had in my head was, that it becomes a soap opera. And that's definitely not something I want to see. But since you relpied in your inimitable way, why don't you give an example? But make sure it's not going to be soap opera like. And don't let it be out of touch with reality (f.e. journey to the moon).

Man, I can only hope for you that this is not how you view your real-life relations!

Gosh, don't mix up film and reality. Of course there're a lot of exciting moments in life, but I don't want too see these in a film (soap opera alert).

[kant1781]

But since you relpied in your inimitable way, why don't you give an example? But make sure it's not going to be soap opera like. And don't let it be out of touch with reality

I'm sorry hcd, that came out sharper than I meant it . Neither of us wants it done soap opera-like. I guess you're thinking of things like Mamma Karin tries to destroy Elin's and Agnes's relationship and makes them run away from home, Elin gets killed and Agnes forgives her mother (who turns out to have incurable cancer) over Elin's grave. Or it turns out that Pappa Olof is in fact Elin's runaway father and that Agnes and Elin are half-sisters, Olof asks Elin to join the dark side ("I am your father, Elin!"), Elin passes out and when she wakes up can't remember who she is . But that's not the kind of thing I'm thinking of.

What would I find interesting? I'd just love to know how the story continues. And I'm not thinking of any specific events here. The story so far didn't have elements that are out of touch with reality. There really isn't just that much "happening". It's just a very everyday story. Still it is interesting. So why shouldn't it continue in exactly this realistic way and still be interesting?

I could think of several points at which to continue it, and a lot of ideas have been expressed by a lot of commentators on the interesting questions. E.g.:

"Five hours later". They've found each other. But found each other as what? Friends? Lovers? Not even that is 100% clear by the end of the film, at least not to everyone. How is that strange little conversation on Elin's bed going to continue? I mean, they are two girls who, for all they share, still hardly know each other. What are they going to do or talk about? Sex? Music? School? Stockholm? Watch TV?

"Five weeks later". What will happen in Åmål and in school? How are the other characters going to behave? Will Jessica stick to Markus or to her sister? And Johan? What will Elin's role be with her former companions? Is she going to be an outcast like Agnes or will they be the nucleus of a new gang? How will they defend themselves against open or subtle aggression from guys like Bengtsson and girls like Camilla? And how will that affect their relationship? Just think of the enormous pressure they're going to be under. Will they stand? And who's going to be the strong one now, who's going to waver? Will they be able to save the momentum from their coming out into dull everyday life? Will either one be tempted to return to her old life in the end? And would that be possible? How will the relationship between Agnes and her father and mother develop when she brings Elin home? And most important of all: What will the two be for each other? How is being with Elin change Agnes and vice versa? Is Elin going to read Södergran or Agnes going to love partying, or something different altogether?

"Five years later". Is there going to be a life for Agnes and Elin in Åmål as a couple? Or will their love be crushed by a hostile environment within days or weeks? And how are they going to live on side by side in Åmål in either case? Will they try to escape, together, or just one of them? What kind of persons will have become of them when they leave school and start standing on their own two feet completely? What will they have meant for each other? (Try to picture Elin-with-Agnes or Agnes-with-Elin five years later and Elin-without-Agnes or Agnes-without-Elin five years later - what would it look like respectively?)

As you see, I'm not coming up with events or storylines, but with questions. I personally find these questions interesting. I don't propose myself to write such a story. I have no talent for that. But I think that although all these things could be done soap opera-like, none of them has to be. I'm not interested in dramatic twists in turns, I'm not interested in action. I'm just interested in getting to know these characters more and more and imagine how they could develop in exactly the realistic way they have developed so far. There are millions of possibilities for that, because the ending of the film leaves practically everything open - except for, exactly, that they've found each other.

[droopy]

As I'm such an unregular "regular" here, I almost missed Kants visit to Afghan deserts. To the question of Ellen Page playing Agnes, I can't really agree for obvious reason of being in love with Rebecka and her Agnes.

But on the matter of Ellen... She seems to be already grown up with a rebel in her that don't need to be supported by anybody else but her. So, in this case (after I saw that side of her in Juno) is too late for her to play Agnes or Elin. Maybe Elin would be more appropriate for her than Agnes in my opinion.

[eric]

...
"Five years later".
...

That would be the most interesting sequel, I think. I can already imagine / see it: Fucking Stockholm, Elin has become a model / actress ... But Ten years later would probably be more appropriate by now.


But lets get back to topic:

Codyw1 said in that other thread about "lesbian movies" similar to Fucking Åmål, that it is really the wrong kind of question, and I think I agree. This film is a celebration of love, so let's talk about other love stories that may perhaps play in the same league like this - sweet 'n' romantic but real and truthful and sooooo fucking cool. All genders and sexes allowed. What do you think?

Here I go with just two random things on my mind:

Joel and Clementine (J. Carey / K. Winslet) in "Eternal Beauty of the Spotless Mind" (Michel Gondry)
Jesse and Celine (E. Hawke / J. Delpy) in "Before Sunrise" (Richard Linklater)

A film that is quite similar to FA is Lost And Delirious, basically the same story, with a tragic end, but nonetheless great. Don't believe me? Just read some of the raving comments at IMDB: http://www.us.imdb.com/title/tt0245238/

[Agnes&Elin Forever!]

How much of an urge do you have for a sequel?

Since it won't happen, do you suffer a lot?

Or do you actually believe there is a chance?

Well, the chance would in that case be greater now some years later than it was before I think.

But still only one in a million probably

Would it matter if one of the girls was played by another actress?

I was thinking Alexandra is still working in the business, but maybe there would have to be another Agnes.

Would this be totally out of the question?

Lots of hypothetical questions I know

[Ian]

Er, no. Any sequel without Rebecka as Agnes or Alexandra as Elin would be a sequel I wouldn't be watching. They ARE the characters. Recasts suck in general, but when so much of a character is down to the actor/actress concerned, it's a recipe for pure disaster.


I can't see it happening, now, to be honest. Yes, Alexandra is still working, but I'm not sure if Moodyson would really be interested, and Rebecka's availability/interest is likewise a dubious point.

On the one hand, I would LOVE to see it, of course, because I love the movie and I would love to see those two reunited. On the other hand, it could be a disaster that could reflect poorly on the original, and it also seems fairly unlikely. If we don't get any indication of it happening this year (being the 10th anniversary), I can't see much chance of it ever happening.

[Ian]

Of course, a sequel could also potentially spoil my own personal belief/feeling that they were madly in love, made each other blissfully happy, and are still happily together to this day. Because at the moment, nobody can spoil that.


Yes, I know, I'm a hopeless romantic. Hopeless being the operative word.

[kant1781]

How much of an urge do you have for a sequel? Since it won't happen, do you suffer a lot?

My Goodness, you're taking it all too seriously! I have no "urge" of any kind for this. Can't I just dream away a little? I'm speculating about a sequel in the same mood that I contemplate what kind of films James Dean would make nowadays had he stayed alive, or how it would sound if the Beatles got back together today. These things are not only infinitely improbable (like a sequel to Fucking Åmål) but downright impossible, for obvious reasons. But that doesn't make me suffer!

Concerning the rest, I'm completely with codyw1, including the romanticism. Except for this:

What baffles me just as much, is that no one thought to reunite Rebecka and Alexandra in a DIFFERENT movie.

I think it's clear why, and wise too. You gave the reason yourself: "They ARE the characters." Putting them both together in a different film would have meant to import their defining characters as well. A script would have had to be outstandingly powerful in order to prevent people from seeing Agnes and Elin in them instead of the new characters they were supposed to be. Yes, I know that there are them classic screen couples who did it again and again in all kinds of different films, but that's rather the exception than the rule.

A film that is quite similar to FA is Lost And Delirious, basically the same story, with a tragic end, but nonetheless great.

Objection, eric! I think L&A is everything that FÅ is not. Despite maybe one or two impressive scenes and good acting, I find the script overdone and clichéd. The dialogue is syrup and the whole thing ends in cheesiness because it doesn't have the ironic touch and the down-to-earth realism of FÅ. And come on, it isn't the same story at all !

[lobabu]

Codyw1 said in that other thread about "lesbian movies" similar to Fucking Åmål, that it is really the wrong kind of question, and I think I agree. This film is a celebration of love, so let's talk about other love stories that may perhaps play in the same league like this - sweet 'n' romantic but real and truthful and sooooo fucking cool. All genders and sexes allowed. What do you think?

Here I go with just two random things on my mind:

Joel and Clementine (J. Carey / K. Winslet) in "Eternal Beauty of the Spotless Mind" (Michel Gondry)
Jesse and Celine (E. Hawke / J. Delpy) in "Before Sunrise" (Richard Linklater)

In this category "celebration of love", there 's one absolutly marvellous (even completely different than FA or the others already quoted): "Hana-Bi" by Takeshi Kitano (1997). Ok, it's not sweet and romantic, and certainly not "fucking cool" (I cheat a little!); in fact, yes, it's very romantic. It's a meditation about love and death (there's no happy end). A cop (played by Kitano) leaves the police after a disastrous investigation (if I remember well, another cop is killed and his boss is wounded and becomes handicaped). He decides to dedicate his life to his wife who is dying by a cancer. Told like that, it's not very enticing. In fact, it's one of the 2 most facinating (I'm not sure it's correct!) films I've ever seen. It's sometime very funny, sometime very sad, sometime violent, often zen.... And it's beautiful, beautiful, so beautiful...Kitano does everything: story, direction, enven paint we see in the film!...Really, if you don't know this film, rent it...

[Agnes&Elin Forever!]

How much of an urge do you have for a sequel? Since it won't happen, do you suffer a lot?

My Goodness, you're taking it all too seriously! I have no "urge" of any kind for this. Can't I just dream away a little?

Maybe not you, but I think Cody suffers a little, mostly because of Rebecka of course

Anyway, lets dream away a little more, Moodysson once jokingly said that maybe a new film would involve Agnes and Elin going on a trip together to the Swedish "Fjällen", the mountainous northern parts of the country.

That is, a new film wouldn't have to be about the couple remaining together or not, but instead could be lighter in touch and just be a humorous story about a holiday-adventure

What do you think about this?

Of course Agnes & Elin are still together

[eric]

...
Objection, eric! I think L&A is everything that FÅ is not. Despite maybe one or two impressive scenes and good acting, I find the script overdone and clichéd. The dialogue is syrup and the whole thing ends in cheesiness because it doesn't have the ironic touch and the down-to-earth realism of FÅ. And come on, it isn't the same story at all !

It's similar, not the same. Similar characters, different decisions. I can easily see Agnes in Paulie, it's just that Agnes has a family to fall back on, when her love turns her down, Paulie doesn't. And Elin had the courage to be herself, Tori didn't. Is it overdone? Perhaps. I'm just not sure how one could include an ironic touch in a tragedy.