Author(s): Matthew Karlan
Location: Dublin, Ireland
“Sweden Day"
Directed by Spike Jonze
Written by Charlie Kaufman
Principal Cast:
Arthur Lampshade – Guy Pearce
Harriet Lampshade – Frances McDormand
Bjorn, the bellhop – Cillian Murphy
Historian – Christopher Walken
Tagline: "It’s the holiday to end all holidays"
Synopsis: Arthur and Harriet are the typical Canadian couple. After Arthur becomes the stuffed moose head distributor for the largest hunting lodge in the province, the two decide two plan a trip to an exotic land. Due to Harriet’s love for Abba and Arthur’s love for Swedish meatballs, they choose Sweden. They learn when they arrive from Bjorn, their bellhop, that Sweden Day is a holiday to commemorate Sweden’s independence. All of the friendly Swedish people spend the night cleaning the streets to prepare for Sweden Day. Arthur calls it “The Happiest Place in the World (not owned by Disney or its affiliates).”
The next day begins as a man jumps off the roof of their building, as the two see through their window. When they go out in the morning they see two more suicides. They see Bjorn, at the bus stop, and ask him what he knows about Sweden Day. He tells them it is to commemorate independence and about tradition, but does not go into detail. He does say one must go to the Capitol to meet the historian if one wants a true history of Sweden Day. Then Jan jumps in front of the coming bus.
At the Capitol, they learn from the Historian that Sweden Day commemorates the day Iceland relinquished their control of Sweden, thus sending the country into severe debt. Sweden throughout the year is a happy nation, until Sweden Day, when Swedes, only with ages multiple of eleven, commit suicide to commemorate the independence that left their country with eleven dollars in the bank. Although, eleven-year-olds are forbidden from the practice and 22-year-olds must get special permission from the government to prove they are sane enough to commit suicide. If one commits suicide on Sweden Day whose age is not a multiple of eleven, their family’s taxes will be raised and salmon will be pelted at their house for days as the country has an extreme salmon surplus. And the rules go on like that.
The couple is satisfied with the explanation and watches the festivities. But day turns to night at three o’ clock, as Sweden Day is Sweden’s darkest day of the year. And nobody told them what happens to foreigners at night on Sweden day …
What the press would say:
“I wouldn’t want Charlie Kaufman’s mind, but I’m a fan of what it spews out,” says Peter Travers about “Sweden Day.” In Charlie Kaufman’s latest literally “dark” comedy, rye humor mixes with clever dialogue as the imaginative screenplay shines. “Sweden Day” will do for Sweden what “Borat” did for Kazakhstan. The press may not all be positive for the nation, but all press is good press. The soundtrack includes entirely Swedish acts including The Hives. Guy Pearce and Frances McDormand both deliver command performances. Pearce is the witty, sarcastic Canuck that remains unfazed by the day. McDormand brings everything to the table, with over-the-top dialogue read with such understatement, if that makes sense. But does it have to make sense? Jonze’s calming direction helps bring life to Kaufman’s work about death. The film does not have the frenetic pace one would expect to portray such a day, which helps create comedic moments and makes the film more of a character study. That being said, there’s suicide in every form one could imagine. “Sweden Day” is not a film to bring the kids, unless your kids are heavily medicated.
Possible Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor – Guy Pearce
Best Actress – Frances McDormand
Best Supporting Actor – Christopher Walken
Best Director – Spike Jonze
Best Original Screenplay – Charlie Kaufman
Best Original Song – “Choose Death” by The Hives
Best Cinematography – Benoit Delhomme
Location: Dublin, Ireland
“Sweden Day"
Directed by Spike Jonze
Written by Charlie Kaufman
Principal Cast:
Arthur Lampshade – Guy Pearce
Harriet Lampshade – Frances McDormand
Bjorn, the bellhop – Cillian Murphy
Historian – Christopher Walken
Tagline: "It’s the holiday to end all holidays"
Synopsis: Arthur and Harriet are the typical Canadian couple. After Arthur becomes the stuffed moose head distributor for the largest hunting lodge in the province, the two decide two plan a trip to an exotic land. Due to Harriet’s love for Abba and Arthur’s love for Swedish meatballs, they choose Sweden. They learn when they arrive from Bjorn, their bellhop, that Sweden Day is a holiday to commemorate Sweden’s independence. All of the friendly Swedish people spend the night cleaning the streets to prepare for Sweden Day. Arthur calls it “The Happiest Place in the World (not owned by Disney or its affiliates).”
The next day begins as a man jumps off the roof of their building, as the two see through their window. When they go out in the morning they see two more suicides. They see Bjorn, at the bus stop, and ask him what he knows about Sweden Day. He tells them it is to commemorate independence and about tradition, but does not go into detail. He does say one must go to the Capitol to meet the historian if one wants a true history of Sweden Day. Then Jan jumps in front of the coming bus.
At the Capitol, they learn from the Historian that Sweden Day commemorates the day Iceland relinquished their control of Sweden, thus sending the country into severe debt. Sweden throughout the year is a happy nation, until Sweden Day, when Swedes, only with ages multiple of eleven, commit suicide to commemorate the independence that left their country with eleven dollars in the bank. Although, eleven-year-olds are forbidden from the practice and 22-year-olds must get special permission from the government to prove they are sane enough to commit suicide. If one commits suicide on Sweden Day whose age is not a multiple of eleven, their family’s taxes will be raised and salmon will be pelted at their house for days as the country has an extreme salmon surplus. And the rules go on like that.
The couple is satisfied with the explanation and watches the festivities. But day turns to night at three o’ clock, as Sweden Day is Sweden’s darkest day of the year. And nobody told them what happens to foreigners at night on Sweden day …
What the press would say:
“I wouldn’t want Charlie Kaufman’s mind, but I’m a fan of what it spews out,” says Peter Travers about “Sweden Day.” In Charlie Kaufman’s latest literally “dark” comedy, rye humor mixes with clever dialogue as the imaginative screenplay shines. “Sweden Day” will do for Sweden what “Borat” did for Kazakhstan. The press may not all be positive for the nation, but all press is good press. The soundtrack includes entirely Swedish acts including The Hives. Guy Pearce and Frances McDormand both deliver command performances. Pearce is the witty, sarcastic Canuck that remains unfazed by the day. McDormand brings everything to the table, with over-the-top dialogue read with such understatement, if that makes sense. But does it have to make sense? Jonze’s calming direction helps bring life to Kaufman’s work about death. The film does not have the frenetic pace one would expect to portray such a day, which helps create comedic moments and makes the film more of a character study. That being said, there’s suicide in every form one could imagine. “Sweden Day” is not a film to bring the kids, unless your kids are heavily medicated.
Possible Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor – Guy Pearce
Best Actress – Frances McDormand
Best Supporting Actor – Christopher Walken
Best Director – Spike Jonze
Best Original Screenplay – Charlie Kaufman
Best Original Song – “Choose Death” by The Hives
Best Cinematography – Benoit Delhomme
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