Container
Lukas Moodysson continues his cinematic journey into the abstract with the beguiling Container. Since his striking debut Show Me Love, his films, Together, Lilya 4-ever and A Hole In My Heart have become less and less centred on a straightforward narrative. Container, with its circular structure, repeating black and white gritty images of a rather fat man (Peter Lorentzon), also has a life in art galleries where Moodysson has shown the film within a container mirroring that which our bizarre fat man protagonist inhabits. He is a woman living in a man's body. This is made clear by the ethereal monologue that provides commentary throughout. It is the voice of Jena Malone. We know this, because at one moment in the film, the voice jumps out of character to declare, 'I am Jena Malone.'
Those concerned that Moodysson has gone crackers need fear not. For Container, unlike the abstruse excesses of A Hole In My Heart, surprisingly manages to remain interesting for its short runtime. It's a difficult watch, but one that conveys a sense of alienation, the theme uniting all Moodysson's films, in a unique and disquieting fashion.
Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Fri 15 Dec-Mon 18 Dec only & GFT, Glasgow from Fri 29-Sun 31 Dec only. DVD on release from Mon 29 Jan 2007.