24 March 2025

Eurovision Song Contest Fire Saga

 

Eurovision Song Contest Fire Saga 2020

  • Director: David Dobkin
  • Based on the book: no
  • Cast: Will Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Mikael Persbrandt, Pierce Brosnan
  • Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
    • Will Farrell – Barbie, Stranger than Fiction
    • Rachel McAdams – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse, Doctor Strange, Spotlight, About Time, Sherlock Holmes Game of Shadows, Slings and Arrows
    • Dan Stevens – Beauty and the Beast, Summer in February, Downton Abbey, The Turn of the Screw
    • Mikael Persbrandt – as few as possible
    • Pierce Brosnan - many
  • Why? I’m an ESC nerd
  • Seen:  22 March 2025 

            Young Lars from Iceland sees ABBA win the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 – as indeed, we did a few days after immigrating to Sweden, having no clue what the ESC was but becoming instant patriots when Sweden won – and swears he will one day win the ESC. His dad (Brosnan, with a dreadful Icelandic accent) ridicules him.

            Years later Lars (Ferrell) is approaching middle age but still dreams of winning the ESC with his childhood friend (probably not his sister) Sigrit (McAdams.

            Ferrell is absolutely terrible in this role. It essentially ruins what is otherwise a silly but loveable film. Dan Stevens is as far from Downton Abbey as he can get as the outrageously gorgeous ‘there are no gays in Russia’ Russian singer who courts Sigrit to become his singing partner.

            It pokes loving fun at the whole thing, a parody so close to the real thing that we almost believe it. The participation of such real life ESC participants like Salvador Sobral, Bilal Hassani, Alexeander Rybak, Conchita, John Landvik, Netta, only adds to its appeal.

            Oh if only they’d chosen someone else than Will Farrell. Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Jake Gyllenhaal, Adam Driver, Ryan Gosling, James McAvoy – anybody but Will Farrell! Unlikely, however, since he was one of the writers. Let’s pretend he’s not in it and give the film 

3 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

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