Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

A Disappointing Continuation

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Jan Treoll's film 'Everlasting Moments' tells the story of a poor Swedish family struggling to survive in the early years of the twentieth century; and how the family's mother copes with an abusive marriage in part through the hobby of photography. It's not a bad film per se, but it's very quiet and undramatic. Part of the problem is that the interest on photography seems arbitrary: the heroine could just as easily have found a purpose in life through a love of literature or dogs, or any of the other interests that help us find meaning in life. The heavy use of narration further undermines the sense of drama. It's based on a true story, but it's not so clear there's really much of a story to be told.

This is an interesting Swedish film about a woman, Maria Larsson, who lived in the early twentieth century in Malmo. The film is based on true events and is in Swedish with subtitles, so if you're not into reading subtitles you'd probably better stop reading now. Before I tell you what I think of it, I'll give you a short synopsis.We begin in 1907 where Maria, her husband Sigfrid and their three children are living in Malmo. Sigfrid, or Siggi to his friends, works on the docks and, when he's had a drink, he is prone to hit his wife and the children. Maria pleads with him to stop drinking, which he does for a while and then he's back into the same routine. One day Maria finds a camera and, because money is short, she decides to take to a photographic studio to see if she can sell it. The owner, Mr Petersen, takes pity on her and, rather than buying the camera, he shows her how to use it. She takes her pictures back to the shop and Mr Petersen helps her develop them. He is impressed and gives her developing chemicals and photographic paper so she can continue. Mr Larsson by now is having a hard time at the docks, Socialism is spreading across Europe and a strike is called. Maria continues to take photographs on and off and after the outbreak of World War One, one is chosen to be printed in the newspaper. As time passes the family grows larger and Siggi begins to have affairs with other women, but Maria stays with despite all his bad ways.The story is narrated by her eldest daughter, Maja, whose perspective gives the film an interesting narrative. A well made film which, if slowly paced, gives an insight into life in Sweden around the turn of the twentieth century. Decent performances from all of the main cast: Maria Heiskanen as Maria Larsson, Mikael Persbrandt as Sigfrid Larsson, Jesper Christensen as Sebastian Pedersen and Callin Öhrvall as Maja Larsson (age 15-22).I quite enjoyed this film, although it has a slow pace, but you're never quite sure what will happen next. I have seen some of Maria Larsson's work on various TV shows about photography and she certainly had an eye for it. In the end it's quite a touching story about a woman torn between her passion for photography and her love of her family. Just one comment about the subtitles, why do the people who put subtitles on films insist on keeping to just one colour, sometimes the background is the same colour as the text and it's impossible to read! (OK, rant over) Over all, recommended for those that can deal with the subtitles.My score: 7.3/10

Well, if it isn't a Swedish epic tale yet again. I have to admit, that even though I'm a big fan of Swedish films, this was just too much "I've seen this before".OK. first the positive: Music was really nice and Maria Heiskanen in her role was superb. The visual aspects of the film was almost done for a Oscar type film, almost as it seemed to be planning it. But because I have had the chance to meet Jan Troell a couple of times, I must say that he's done the film with his heart and not with calculation.But heart doesn't help when the film is too boring and there is too much story to tell. It doesn't hold and it has to jump time levels just to the tell the whole history.I really wanted to like this film as I like the filmmaker a lot. But I couldn't. Michael Persbrandt does a powerful job, but a very similar role that he's done in many films. A bit of yelling and a intensive look. So the same thing. What's new in Swedish cinema? Well "Let the Right One In" is new.I hope that this is not the last film from Mr. Troell and I hope to see one more masterpiece from him. Because I don't want this to bee his last film.

EVERLASTING MOMENTS ('Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick') is a quiet, gentle masterpiece of film-making. The screenplay by Niklas Rådström, based on a story by Agneta Ulfsäter-Troell and director Jan Troell, is so free of the expected extended dialogues that accompany films of this nature that it allows the magic of the period piece set in early 20th century Sweden to rely on the beauty of the cinematography by Mischa Gavrjusjov and Jan Troell and the subtle and simple film score by Matti Bye (with a little help from Massenet!). Filmed in the color scheme suggestive of the distinguished Danish painter Vilhelm Hammershøi, never straying far from sepia tones that ignite the solitude and light of the Nordic countries, this film could probably be successful as a silent movie - that is how powerful the production is. We are told in the voice over introduction that Maria Larsson (the exceptional Finnish actress Maria Heiskanen) won a camera in a lottery and the only way she would share the strange prize would be if her boyfriend Sigfrid (Mikael Persbrandt) would marry her. The couple marries and begins a large family: Maria takes in sewing and Sigfrid works at the docks - and drinks to excess. Maria's world becomes progressively unhappy and though she continues to have children she longs for a life free of the influence of Sigfrid's alcoholism and womanizing. She finds her hidden camera and thinking to pawn it for money to support her children she seeks the advice of an older photographer Sebastian Pedersen (Jesper Christensen) who convinces her to discover the magic of photography as a means of expression and makes it possible for Maria to keep her camera and learn the art of photography. In Maria's oppressive life there is now a light as seen through the lens of her camera that allows her to sustain herself through times of social change, war (WW I), Sigfrid's imprisonment, and a clandestine love affair with the kind and caring Sebastian. The story moves slowly, like a stroll in the wintry woods, and introduces many characters whose significance grow through the film. The ending of the story is as gentle as a dream, or as an everlasting moment. It is sheer magic. For this viewer this is one of the finest films to come along in years. In Swedish and Finnish with subtitles. Highly recommended. Grady Harp