Directed by: Pernilla August. (4/5).
Previously seen in the Millennium trilogy, Noomi Rapace lives up to her newfound fame in Beyond, a domestic drama centred on alcohol abuse and misguided love. Set in Sweden, Rapace plays Leena, a wife and mother who has spent years shaking the painful memories of her childhood, not even sharing the details of which with her husband.
The film begins with Leena receiving the news that her mother is dying and wishes to see her. Unaware of her past, Leena’s husband pushes her to see her mother and we are drawn into a chilling tour of Leena’s earlier years, discovering the reason for her estrangement through the skilful use of flashbacks. The horror of her parents' self-destruction is conveyed powerfully through Leena’s subconscious and, although it is rough, it truly highlights the horrors of domestic violence. Fiction meets reality in this Swedish film, there’s no denying it was very well done.
Tehilla Blad steals the show with a remarkable portrayal of the 15-year-old Leena, a tortured adolescent wishing to be loved. The young actress manages to express the tragic situation of one living on hope and faith in raw circumstances. As well as Blad and Rapace, praise must also go to Finnish actors Outi Maenpaa and Ville Virtanen who play Leena's parents. Their on-screen chemistry cannot be faulted, and through their love for each other (as well as for vodka) they both convey the emotional authenticity of the drama.
Director Pernilla August makes her debut in this film by not only bringing together talented actors but also perfecting each scene. The R16 rating is not an exaggeration – this film is definitely not one for the light-hearted, nor is it one you would take a date to on a Saturday night. Beyond is a very intense film, but despite its bleakness, the most powerful message to take from the film is the underlying theme of hope it offers. If it’s a gripping but unrelenting genre film you’re after, then this is a good choice, but it is certainly not going to deliver a ‘fun’ night out.
Beyond
