Kitchen Stories

“What the hell do you have on your neck?” “A scarf.” “A scarf with a tail?” “Yes, with a tail.” Folke is allowed to do what perhaps every film viewer would welcome – to intervene in the life of the person they are watching. Empathy prevents him from remaining in the role of observer and so, understanding that some facts simply cannot be entered in a table, he not only exchanges snuff with the subject of his research, but also trades places with him. The secondary alternation of the roles of the observed and the observer is ultimately a more original feature of the plot than the central coming together of two men, or rather two cultures. I actually and rather selfishly regretted that the long-silent Norwegian and the long-silent Swede found their way to each other and began conversing about fundamental question of humanity, though it’s true that their conversations are marked by charming simplicity and with an added bonus in the form of random bits of absurdist humour. The film doesn’t abandon the calming atmosphere of Scandinavian moderation after that, but the admiration for the minimalism of Hamer’s film language is replaced by waiting to see how firmly the screenplay adheres to the anticipated plot development. Firmly indeed. 70% (14.09.2012)