Flimmer

A blackout in a small northern Swedish town sets off a chain of events that alters the lives of a group of employees of a telecommunications company.

Flicker is a comedy-drama that focuses on a well-drawn cast of characters. The centre point is Ted Danson lookalike Kenneth who is responsible for the company's financial reports, which are hopelessly complicated and impenetrable. He forms an unlikely relationship with the cleaner who has a severe case of arachnophobia, made even more traumatic seeing as the power-failure occurred mid therapy session with a tarantula, leaving her in a darkened room with the beast, hilariously named Sauron. The telecoms company, meanwhile, are trying to re-brand themselves in a modern way. Out goes their amazingly inappropriate Bergmanesque gloomy adverts that hint at domestic violence, and in comes a Swedish superhero. While in the background a group of anarchists, who believe in conspiracies surrounding the dangers of electromagnetic rays, plan destructive acts against the power company.

Perhaps Flicker loads most of its laugh-out-loud funny moments at the beginning. It doesn't quite live up to the expectations of some of its hilarious opening moments. In actual fact Flicker mixes some serious drama in amongst the comedy. It's not always an easy mix. Nevertheless, it remains an engaging oddball comedy with a heart. The slightly surreal goings on in this small northern town are well handled by a good cast of actors.