"Bränn alla mina brev," while a visually striking film, falls short of its literary source's already contentious reputation. The adaptation of Alex Schulman's novel, which has faced significant criticism for its historical inaccuracies and questionable portrayal of real-life figures, particularly Sven Stolpe, translates poorly to the silver screen.
The film attempts to navigate the complex emotional landscape of Schulman's grandparents and their entanglement with Olof Lagercrantz, but it does so with a heavy hand. Critics have noted that the book's embellished narrative does a disservice to the actual individuals involved, casting shadows over their legacies with dramatized fiction that borders on character assassination.
In the transition from page to film, these issues are only magnified. The movie's narrative structure, which hops across timelines, often leaves the viewer disoriented. Moreover, the dialogue, laden with exposition, fails to compensate for the lack of nuanced storytelling.
While the performances, particularly by Asta Kamma August, are commendable, they cannot salvage the film from its foundational flaws-rooted in a book that many believe distorts history for the sake of drama. Ultimately, "Bränn alla mina brev" is a reminder that cinematic beauty alone cannot atone for a narrative that plays fast and loose with the truth.
