25
Aug
2017
The Square

The Square

In preparation for his new art exhibit, Swedish art curator Christian has his phone stolen and this sets in motion a series of calamitous events which threaten to collapse his egocentric world around him.

With a generous running time of 142 minutes, ‘The Square’ is as measured as the art pieces on display. Giving ample time and space for you to suitably invest in its characters, as played by Claes Bang (Christian), ‘Mad Men’s’ Elisabeth Moss and the ‘The Wire’s Dominic West, it also has acting talent to spare.

…announces itself as a savage satire only to become something much darker…

Hilarious and thought provoking in turn, director Ruben Östlund’s Palm D’Or winning art world movie announces itself as a savage satire only to become something much darker and deeply rooted in the real world.

For as the domino pieces of Christian’s self-absorbed life start to tumble around him, the film pirouettes away from laugh-out-loud moments to shuddering home truths and discomforts. In doing so, ‘The Square’ will challenge your presumptions much the same way as Yorgos Lanthimos’s break-though film ’Kynodontas’ (DogTooth) did. In a world where you think you understand the rules, you will see the landscape of presumption that ‘The Square’s’ characters rely upon, slide away into a dark comedy of manners and gasp-inducing set pieces.

Like the art work ’The Square’ in the story, this movie appears quite innocent on the outside. However once inside its running time, the chaos that engulfs Christian will also ensnare you with its swirling farce and then lacerate your preconceptions.

Expertly puncturing the bubble that the art world lived within, ‘The Square’ is a delicious slow-burn satire which will leave you with many memorable scenes to ponder and conversations to have afterwards.

You may also like

Locked Down
Locked Down
The Invisible Man
The Invisible Man
The Kitchen
The Kitchen
Us
Us