"Agnes Joy" Film Review

What I love about some films this year is that they seem to have more in depth storytelling, relatability and a very strong character development with characters we can relate to. Agnes Joy is no exception to that. The film is Iceland's official selection for Best International Feature Film for the 93rd Academy Awards©. 

Agnes Joy shows a complex family dynamics that seems to revolve around a boring, unfulfilled and stagnant life. It is a reality that some of us know painfully well. Every character in the film experiences a reality of their own that they want to change so they look outside themselves for someone to save them. It is refreshing for me to see a family dynamic story told in a simple, straight forward way with an exceptional narrative. I also loved the fact that this was the first film from Iceland that I was fortunate to see. I liked that the film didn't focus on Iceland as a tourist destination as some would expect but rather a place like any other with complex lives that need repair and hope even amidst nature's beauty.

Agnes Joy

Rannveig is a mother, wife, daughter and in serious need for change. She is experiencing burnout in all aspects of her everyday life. She is stuck with a job she hates and a slow dying marriage. She also constantly fights her rebellious daughter Agnes the same way she fights her own mother. When a new neighbor arrives, Rannveig has to confront new challenges in her relationships as her daughter fights to get back her independence, while making terrible choices. Agnes Joy was directed by Silja Hauksdóttir and written by Hauksdóttir, Rannveig Jónsdóttir and Jóhanna Fridrika Sæmundsdóttir.

Growing up in a different culture, with a controlling mother and an absent-minded father, is something I know way too well as I have dealt with it my entire life. It is a prison of control that leaks through all aspects and areas of your life, limiting the way you see yourself, the world and others. It gets passed on from one generation to another, a parent to a child, until someone is brave enough to break the chain. It is also a narrative that is not commonly seen on such a level and intimacy as in Agnes Joy. The inner turmoil that each character faces is portrayed through many layers and emotions visibly seen in their faces and body language. 

Making this film that reflects reality in some way, gives women suffering in silence a voice, helping them feel seen and their story being told. The plot of the film is so complex and yet so simple that the intertwined faiths and realities of the characters seem to connect and come to one conclusion - letting go. Letting go of control is not an easy task. At the end of the day, only one person can save you and that is yourself. 

Rannveig

I wish more films show family dynamics in such nature and in such detail as it is refreshing to see real and relatable stories and characters come to life on the big screen. The storytelling, character development and acting was superb! The only criticism I have is the way the cinematography was done as I found it a bit dull, one dimensional and plain at times. I wanted to see more in the use of the camera lens when showing the complexity in Iceland's culture, nature, homes, colors and how they connect with one another.  

I wish Agnes Joy luck in their Oscars nomination!

Rating: 4 out of 5