Pure (2010)A stunning performance by young actress Alicia Vikander and intelligent direction (and strong writing) from Lisa Langseth makes this Swedish film a must see.When 20 year old Katarina finds an escape from her troubled life in a symphony hall, life turns completely around. And she almost keeps up with the change. But her naivite and powerlessness get in her way, as more powerful or misdirected people in the symphony read her signals the wrong way. That simple set up is all Vikander needs to make her character writhe and shine and fall into despair on screen. It's psychologically tough, beautifully filmed, paced with a sense of importance. I really liked this all around. The story does in ways fall into a familiar power dynamic between older man and younger woman, and so there is by the end something missing there. But other aspects compensate, and Vikander makes small details revelations throughout.

About music? Or what, exactly.Glam? Music is an art form.To make a film about music, one should respect the subject and performers within the confines of the script.Pretty faces do not music make.Nor does production values film make. Scripting is story, production is canvas,direction is product.Any musician would see, any at all, poor research on behalf of the writer(s).Go for it with gusto next time, practice, practice, practice.Makes perfect.It is with dull merit that I had to include more lines than needed to get this review submitted. So be it. This film does not express what it tried to say, but follies about with faces and drama.

Music can change your life.Everyone has experienced this at one time or other and this is the heart of Pure.In this edgy immensely engaging drama a working-class girl with a borderline personality finds her life's passion in classical music.The story is not what you could call enticing however the film is a triumph. Next to more prestigious and lauded films, such as Black Swan and Fish Tank, Pure is hands down the easy winner in terms of acting, directing and all round film-making. Alicia Vikander is now breaking out internationally as an actress in Anna Karenina and Royal Affair but once you see this film it is no surprise, she is heart-breaking and awesome in this.I actually applauded in the screening I saw, this was during the film because of a plot twist and reflected the quality of the film and the brilliance of the script.Catch this underrated gem as soon as you get the chance. Ken Loach should be worried, there's a new kid on the block and her name is Lisa Langseth.

It's hard to criticize somebody's good intentions. But in this case I'll make an exception. This film is not very good. When you receive some of the highest awards from the Swedish film academy, you expect something spectacular. You don't find it in this film. Written, produced and directed by women, this film is meant to express an honest depiction from a female perspective. You don't find that either. Instead we get a very naive and dated (i.e. unoriginal) story that tells us that men are pigs that abuse and exploit women. Really, I didn't know that... The worst part is the extremely unoriginal screenplay that includes such Swedish classics such as: suicide, alcoholism, prostitution, depression, working class misery, nudity and melancholia.If this was the BEST screenplay that year, I'd love to see the worst ones.The writer's intentions might be sincere but far from original and very, very naive.Perhaps this was meant to be a children's movie?Or maybe it was all just a dream.I don't want to rant, but could somebody please show these creatives some good political female oriented movies? Norma Rae, Network, The Piano....Or perhaps the writer's intention is to say that a young woman, who feels upset after having had an affair with a married man, and being left by him, and unjustly terminated (from her trial employment), has the right to KILL that man (pig, oppressor) - and get away with it.Perhaps this movie is genius after all.Or maybe not.