EVERY FAMILY HAS A SECRET.
Shortly before World War II, a young working-class boy in Gothenburg meets a Jewish boy in school whose family fled from persecutions in Germany; eventually, a bond grows between the families. In this handsomely photographed adaptation, focus always lies on young Simon and his process, rebelling against his father who sees no point in book-learning, but the rest of the families are also interesting to follow, with strong performances by Helen Sjöholm and Cecilia Nilsson. On the whole, a bit conventional and overly solemn, but poetical and gripping at times.
2011-Sweden-Norway-Denmark-Germany-The Netherlands. 122 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Lisa Ohlin. Novel: Marianne Fredriksson. Cinematography: Dan Laustsen. Cast: Bill Skarsgård (Simon Larsson), Helen Sjöholm (Karin Larsson), Jan Josef Liefers (Ruben Lentov), Stefan Gödicke, Karl Linnertorp, Jonatan Wächter… Josefin Neldén, Cecilia Nilsson, Iwar Wiklander.
Trivia: Original title: Simon och ekarna. The book was later turned into a play.
