The avalanche wasn’t actually devastating. After all, it was a “controlled avalanche” as per the ski resort notice. But how could we know that? It was definitely an avalanche. And it was definitely headed their way. And it definitely engulfed them. Who knew there were degrees of avalanche? The important thing is that if you see a cloud of snow roughly the size of a football field coming at you much faster than you can get away, you’re entitled to fear.
But you’re probably not entitled to choose fear over your children.
“Death by cowardice” was the official autopsy for the family ski vacation. That was a new one for me. Being a dad, I’ve ruined many a vacay, of course, but never one yet due to cowardice. Tomas (Johannes Kuhnke) turned tail and fled when he saw the snow approach their scenic outdoor luncheon spot. Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli) saw the same thing Tomas did and chose to shelter their two small children.
Ebba’s below-surface seethe takes a while to boil; what gets it going is NOT the original flight, but Tomas’ attitude that he had nothing to apologize for. Over drinks with mutual friends, Ebba realizes how willing Tomas is to embrace a false narrative of his role. If he had owned the cowardice at inception, it’s possible the Swedish family could have resumed a lovely week of skiing in the French Alps. At the point she realizes he husband is not just a coward but a fink, however, Ebba fully engages a mental battle with Tomas.
And this is how the film unfolds: plenty of establishing shots of alpine/ski resort beauty mixed with pregnant silences and increasingly awkward conversations. At once point, the just-below-surface hostility between Tomas and Ebba spills over to a couple they entertain … a couple who proceeds to argue themselves over their own hypothetical response to danger. Force Majeure is a grotesque study in passive-aggression – Here’s a gorgeous place to be! And here’s a wonderful activity for white people to engage in! And here they are, miserable! They’re so miserable, in fact, it’s rubbing off on friends and the children. And all because daddy pulled a Trump – failing to own his awful and then compounding it because his ego was too fragile to admit his unimpressive behavior.
Force Majeure is a chilling look at how marriages go south. No one wants to admit their partner is less than they had imagined. And being confronted and trapped in a room with that fact on a daily basis without space to breathe becomes unbearable. Force Majeure attempted and succeeded in creating the atmosphere of claustrophobic distrust necessary to destroy a marriage. The viewer questions: “Why do I want that?” and “Couldn’t the film have been about 20 minutes shorter?” I mean, how many establishing shots and lingering silences does one need? I respect this film, but I didn’t like it and I sure don’t need to see it again.
Tomas, because he was able,
Grabbed his phone and ran from the table
The moment, now passed
Found no victim from blast
But a marriage was rendered unstable
Rated R, 120 Minutes
Director: Ruben Östlund
Writer: Ruben Östlund
Genre: Ruined vacations
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: People looking for divorce tips
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: People with no taste for passive-aggression
