Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

What would you do to get out of the guat (thanks John Hughes) you find yourself in? This is the central question posed by our protagonist played by Alicia Vikander in an early role before embarking into Hollywood superstardom. In a story w/echoes of the Dardennes' Rosetta, we have a woman whose found her calling in life but due to a mistake in judgment, she'll do anything to keep her station. At once harrowing, traumatic but ultimately uplifting, Pure's heroine gets her due but at what cost?

Despite not being totally recent, this movie has captured my curiosity not only by the synopsis but also by the fact that it is led by one of my favourite artists (and recently awarded an Oscar for best actress in a supporting role) Alicia Vikander, it was good to see the actress in her most genuine "form" by the fact that she spokes in her home language- Swedish.The truth is that I did not knew (or knew very vaguely) the Swedish cinema however, after having seen this film I can say that it have exceeded my expectations, expectations such that, I confess, were not very high given that I didn't knew the director.What I can say is that I really loved both the argument (produced this also by Lisa Langseth) as the story developed around the same. Referring to other components of the production I can enhance the quality of the interpretations and the whole soundtrack chosen and produced for the film, soundtrack that I am listen attentively while I am writing this review.In relation to the plot in particular I have to say that I loved it! The changes in the character of Katarina thrill anyone minimally wrapped in the story; how the protagonist excels itself leaving behind a life unworthy and unhappy to build gradually her space in society is indeed remarkable and worthy of being highlighted. To conclude I can only say that I really liked it! Excellent job of production and an argument very emotive, it is without doubt a great message and I advise anyone to watch it.Ricardo Sacadura

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.

Things like music, poetry, philosophy etc are essential details of this film, but otherwise have nothing to do with its theme.That theme is the corruption of innocence. Which puts it in company with other films like "The Go Between", "Rosetta", "Mouchette" or "Lord of the Flies", but "Pure" is realistic rather than romantic. The director, Lisa Langseth, probably has much in common with Anthony Trollope, who was once described as "compared to Trollope, even Balzac is a romantic".The entire film depends on the performance of Alicia Vikander as Katarina, and that performance is flawless, first as a young girl of passion, through her disillusionment, and, at the very last scene, to her "graduation".And special mention should be made of Per-Eric Winberg's music soundtrack, both his own compositions and those he selected from other composers are first class.