Reviews of Wild Strawberries
Displaying all 4 reviews
earman
4Nov10
We reap what we sow. Few films question the essence of our existence or the eternal consequences of a selfish life. When we are young we have time to acknowledge our sins and amend the human damage of a self-indulgent life.Ingmar Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries” is a human essay on aging,loneliness and our mortality. It chronicles an old doctor’s journey through memory and dreamstate on a road trip to recieve an honarary degree. He starts his trip of discovery with his cynical daughter-in-law and they pick up passengers along the way that symbolize the different stages of his life. This aging man’s trip of self discovery and resolution is one of the most compelling cinematic confrontations ever filmed- dealing with our mortality and the legacy we leave behind.
Be prepared for haunting visions. Seek out the films brilliant use of symbolism. Enlighten yourself with the most profound film ever on the subject of aging and your lasting effect on the people around you.
- Currently 5.0/5 Stars.
Jye Sherwell
27Sep09
Now THIS is what I’m talking about! You’d think a film about death and growing old would be depressing, but this is far from depressing. Victor Sjostom’s character is one that captivates you instantly. His performance was perfect, Bergman’s direction was spot on and visually I couldn’t ask for anything more in a film. That first dream sequence alone is worth watching this film! But fortunately the film never stops giving.
- Currently 4.0/5 Stars.
kubrickhouse
28Aug09
Bergman at his most subtle, touching and hopeful. To be honest, Wild Strawberries did not blow me away like The Seventh Seal did (which is still my favourite Bergman). But it did provoke a reaction in me that I wasn’t expecting after watching an Ingmar Bergman film: simply put, it made me smile. I didn’t think that I was going to be able to relate to the 70-something main character (masterfully portrayed by Victor Sjostrom, who is an accomplished director in his own right) looking back on the events of his well-traveled but ultimately empty life (and if I ever live that long, I imagine the film will resonate with me on an even deeper level than it does now). But the themes of family, loneliness and reliving childhood memories should appeal to almost everyone at any adult age.
Stylistically, the first dream sequence definitely stands out and I can see how it has influenced dream sequences in art house films that were to follow and even some parody films. Every character was interesting (I gotta say that I love Bibi Andersson) and together brought forth a clear level of comprehension to the life of Dr. Isak Borg. And I’m certain that there are many more moments of symbolism to be explored during future viewings (the dream sequences were quite rich with potential for discussion). But upon my first viewing, Wild Strawberries was rather heartwarming and happy like a fond memory. And that alone was a pleasant surprise coming from Bergman. Great film.
- Currently 5.0/5 Stars.
Sam Cooper
27May09
I wouldn’t consider Wild Strawberries to be Bergman’s best film, but it’s definitely up there. The film starts off in the professor’s isolated study room where he has essentially exiled himself from all forms of human communication, minus a housekeeper who seems to be about the same age as him. He is on his way to be honored at a school and decides to leave early with the accompaniment of his son’s wife (played fabulously by Ms. Thulin).
Everything I just wrote happened in the span of about twenty minutes and there were three things that had transpired that already blew my mind. The first being the opening shot of him in his study with his dog on the floor next to him. This shot sets the stage and personality for Professor Isak Borg: an intellectual man who just can’t connect with others and hides it behind his suave and elderly mannerisms. The second being the dream sequence, which is on of the most amazing dream sequences I have ever seen: Bergman had the walls on the street painted white so Gunnar Fischer’s photography could create a surreal glare. We see a man with a deformed face that crumbles to the ground. We see a clock with no hands that will appear later on in the film. We see a horse-drawn carriage with no driver get caught next to a light post, and once the carriage wheel is severed and rolls around Isak, a coffin falls out containing his very own body. It’s a grim reminder that death is awaiting around any corner for this tired man, and he knows it. The third thing to blow my mind is during the car ride. Isak is talking with his daughter-in-law about his son, and she states that he hates him. The scene cuts to a head-on close up of Isak clutching the steering wheel, and the look of shock, sorrow and confusion all intertwine into a terribly sad facial expression that I’ll never forget.
Throughout the film we are treated to Charles Dickens-esque flashbacks to Isak’s younger years, specifically where he was in love with Sara, only to have her fall for Sigfrid. We see where it all went wrong, where Isak failed as a lover, and later on failed as a husband, and most of all failed as a husband. We meet some characters along this journey, including a frolicking young girl accompanied by two young men who like to quarrel about God, and a couple who, strangely enough, seems to act just like Isak and his wife, where he would always demean her, even in public.
This is a change for Bergman, as Wild Strawberries offers a rather upbeat, optimistic ending. It’s the ending alone that helps make this movie work the way it does. It’s easily accessible to Bergman new-comers and a treat worth visiting again and again.
- Currently 5.0/5 Stars.