Elina som om jag inte fanns

 

Elina som om jag inte fanns 2002

• Director: Klaus Härö
• Seen by this director: Den bästa av mödrar
• Based on the book by Kerstin Johansson i Backe
• Cast: Nathalie Minnevik, Bibbi Andersson, Marjaana Maijala, Henrik Rafaelsen,
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Nathalie Minnevik – Äkta människor
• Bibbi Andersson – Babettes gästabud, Scener ur ett äktenskap, Persona, Smultronstället, Det sjunde inseglet
• Marjaana Maijala – Den bästa av mödrar
• Why? Good reviews, awards
• Seen:  16 October 2022      

       Fatherless children recovering from TB with a beautiful hard-working and loving mother, returning to school, defying a cruel and sadistic teacher to defend a boy who only understands Finnish, no Swedish and then helps a calf who’s drowning in the swamp by appealing to her dead father, a film about all that is bound to win awards, right?

       Sorry, Hallmark in Finnish and Swedish in the olden days is still Hallmark. Oh, yes, there’s a nice teacher too. Elina is bound to have a relapse and join her father in heaven and the nice teacher will undoubtedly marry the mother.

       Sorry again, I shouldn’t be so cynical. The film deserves better from me and there is a lot more good old Swedish social realism than in any Hallmark film. And, of course, we can’t help but cheer for defiant Elina (Minnevik) against mean and nasty Fröken Holm (Andersson).

       The ending. Well, I’m torn between, ‘all’s well that ends well,’ and, ‘oh c’mon, I hate feel-good endings!’

       But no spoilers.

       Kids would love this. I would too if I was eight years old. 

2½ * of 5