Darling is my favorite type of film because the characters are multi dimensional. The director Johan Kling gets me inside the head of almost any character in a way that reminds me of the American director Todd Solondz. It's entirely character driven and the plot is just a background to get to know the characters and how they interact.Although set in an upper class environment Darling is not a film about the ways of the upper class specifically because the same kind of behavior as the characters display, shallowness and self centeredness can be found anywhere. Rather the film depicts differences between generations and what values have taken over in society. The young people in this film are putting too much value on what other people think of them, wanting to be admired and have the attributes that brings status rather than be loved for what they really are. It's more important to belong to the "right" group of people than that the friendships are real.The main character Eva is in the middle of this world, trapped in it. And the other big character in the film, Bernhard, who is much older and completely outside of that world is focused on being nice and positive as opposed to being self absorbed and gaining status. Unfurtunatly he also lets the world treat him as a doormat.All in all the film is very original and a good comment about how we treat each other and ourselves and how we let us get treated by others in society.

This film by Johan Kling is a clear example of Swedish film at its best. While showing some thematic resemblance to "Daybreak" ("Om jag vänder mig om") in its critical view on certain aspects of Swedish or Western culture, there is in addition the unlikely meeting of two persons from vastly different social spheres.Utilizing the power of subtlety in proud tradition of Bergman, the film provides a striking depiction of superficial emptiness in the posh quarters of Stockholm. Michelle Meadows plays her cold, spoiled character with impressive credibility. However, her uptown acquaintances seem slightly exaggeratedly flat in their shallowness."Darling" strikes another important contemporary theme by introducing the second main character played by Michael Segerström. A common cultural symptom of several Western countries, the ever positive and good-hearted Bernard learns how elders are threatened with falling into oblivion. After his wife has left him for a younger man, the retired Bernard seems to have fallen out of the frame, caught in a void of debts and cold isolation from work market, family and friends.The story keeps hold of you through numerous twists and admirable "read between the lines"-depth in the dialogue. The camera allows for the emotions of the characters to beautifully unfold. The end is in my opinion also well attuned to the film.To conclude, it is easy to see why "Darling" has won several awards in Sweden. Unfortunately for international connoisseurs of film, a considerable share of its qualities is only to be fully appreciated in Swedish. The depth and subtlety truly impress, as well as the timing of the themes. The reason why this film remains at an eight in ranking, is that the moral of the story feels slightly oversketched. In total, however, "Darling" is to be highly recommended.

I thought this film was really good, with a very nice depiction of typical Swedish bcbg, a very interesting portrait of an original film character in the cold, self-aborbed Eva and a heartbreaking story about too-good-for-this-world Bernhard. Some extremely good acting, nice cinemaphotography and the music was wonderful. The whole film had the feel of old 60's and 70's European films, but still done in a modern way. It didn't hurt also that Michele meadows who plays Eva is very beautiful. If I am to say something negative it is that it was a bit difficult to understand at times. Still I think this is the best Swedish film I've seen for a couple of years or even more. I looking forward to the next film by this director.

This Swedish movie has had some nice press here. Maybe because of the long time passed, since such a movie was done.It's about the posh nouveau riche and their empty lives. But it's too pedagogic. Everything starts from scratch, to make the audience understand that the poshs really do have these empty lives, on the contrary to the other main character, the 60-year-old unemployed. He's almost a Jesus figure, getting humiliated in different ways, both by his family and his young employers. But his goodness remains.You could maybe have swalloved that, but the problem with the poshs is that they somehow are like extras with lines. No real complication here. Just a saga there the end is obvious. Or maybe not. The bus scene in the end suggests something else, but I'm not sure I want to see a "Darling 2".