Nära livet

Getting close to the end of my Ingmar Bergman quest, I now see him as a director that I admire highly. And I love his films, so far actually All These Women is the only one I didn't like. So Close to Life is a gem. The subject matter is a challenging one indeed, but handled very intelligently by Bergman that is never dealt with in a heavy-handed way. This is further advantaged by a thoughtful script and superb direction. Same with how the characters are written, how Bergman portrays women in his films never fails to compel or amaze me. These characters are not stereotypes or ones that don't engage you in any way, these characters are ones that are compellingly real. As always with a Bergman film, So Close to Life is incredibly well made, being strikingly and atmospherically shot and with memorable scenery and imagery. The acting is exceptional from some of the best ever Swedish actors, so much so that it is difficult to give a definite standout. If I did have to choose, Bibbi Andersson probably whose performance is up there among her best. All in all, a Bergman gem yet sadly overlooked. 10/10 Bethany Cox