Beautiful Beings

Rien pour les amateurs de la nature islandaise. Vous ne l’apercevriez pratiquement pas ici. L'histoire pourrait se dérouler dans un quartier pauvre ou industriel similaire à la périphérie de Manchester. L'amitié entre des adolescents pendant une période de violence croissante et d'intimidation entre les jeunes, souvent brutale et désespérante, mais également contrebalancée par le soutien mutuel et la protection. Le sujet et la façon de le traiter ne sont pas très originaux, mais sont dramatiquement intenses. [KVIFF] (03/07/2022)

Un regard dur et, dans de nombreuses scènes, franchement déplaisant sur le monde de jeunes laissés pour compte qui, à travers l’incroyable dépravation et cruauté auxquelles ils font face, parviennent à trouver en eux des germes d'affection et d'amitié. [KVIFF 2022] (23/07/2022)

A very good social drama from Iceland, for me the third strongest moment of this year's KVIFF. The film follows a group of teenage misfits whose unruly behaviour stems from their dismal family circumstances, yet they occasionally flash glimpses of humanity and kindness. Beautiful Creatures' plot twists, relatively familiar from films about troubled young people, are spiced up with an esoteric motif that adds a unique atmosphere, and it’s also used to build up a rather unpleasant sense of anticipation of some inevitable catastrophe that the action is likely to lead to. In the final act it kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending actually surprises in this respect and offers a different type of catharsis than I expected. (56th KVIFF) (10/07/2022)

Beautiful Beings is a prime example of unruly youth growing up in less-than-peaceful family environments. This theme is probably relevant across many European countries. However, this time it's tackled by Icelanders, though the landscapes don’t particularly stand out. What does stand out are the raw emotions: sadness, depression, and the despair of a seemingly meaningless life. (07/02/2023)

The Siegers of an Icelandic housing estate or another grim and harsh film from the North. A film about friendship and during extreme situations. Here meet the lead character Balli, bullied at school, ignored at home, living a miserable life in squalor, who out of pity is taken under the wing of young Addi and his gang, whose transformation over the course of the film is unreal. Addi acts rational and grows up, Konni is a bully and the biggest scumbag and Siggi is a freak. We follow the teenage troubles as they go on crazy adventures and it's raw, naturalistic, uncomfortable, but also heartbreaking and sad at times. The film builds on great child performances, strong social commentary, and the unglamorous setting of Reykjavik full of strange individuals and underprivileged families. The film isn't afraid of bullying, violence, fights, drugs and there was even a rape of a boy by a boy, so it is definitely a powerful thing that won't leave just anyone cold. The finale is properly shocking. 8/10. (02/12/2022)