There is a lot to love about this film. The locations, the slow pace, the cinematography. I really want to like it more, but I don’t. There are many layers to the story, but it all feels a bit forced. More problematic for me however is the fact that I feel no connection to the main characters. They somehow feel detached, not present which makes me don’t care. They come across as a facsimile of real humans. Having said all that, it still is worth the watch.

Between 2.5 and 3/5. Was drawn in by the cast. I like the blending of story in a story, but all along I just felt like I was missing something because I wasn’t that into it. Some beautiful scenery, good performances, and funny moments, but overall a bit too subtle for my taste so it felt flat. Thank you for reminding me of The Winner Takes it All!!!

Animal torture. Throwing living jellyfish at each other and laughing at the torture. Then buying skinned sheep. Horrible.

It is for the best that Bergman is immediately invoked by both the title and the setting, from there they can play around with those classic Bergman themes without it surprising the audience which could be a bit of a disaster. Ultimately it's a bit thin on resolution but still I appreciate the ambition.

This is one I would never have watched because of the title - I've no interest in watching any Bergman films and I'm afraid this one just gets tarred with the same brush. However, now I know it's got some ABBA in it, I'm approaching it with slightly more enthusiasm. But not loads... The film follows Tony (Tim Roth) and Chris (Vicky Krieps) as they decamp to Fårö (which is, unsurprisingly, the island where Ingmar Bergman lived) for the summer in order to do various film related stuff, including working on screenplays for their next films - Tony is racing through his screenplay and really inspired whereas Chris is really struggling. So we then spend a considerable amount of time watching Chris's screenplay - which seems pretty fully formed to my untrained eye, but it's also not particularly interesting. Although one of her characters does go on an amusing anti-Bergman rant ("Maybe three critics thought he was amazing, but there's a world outside your own asshole. Fuck Bergman!"). But when I say a considerable amount of time, I'm not kidding - there's not far off an hour of the film spent dipping in and out of it. However, interestingly, towards the end of the screenplay, one of the people that Chris met earlier "in real life" appears - fictional real life begins to blur with fictional fiction and my head begins to hurt. And then, right at the end, things get even more weird - all of which left me feeling very lost and turned what was a reasonably straightforward but dull film into a confusing but dull film. I'm not sure whether that's an improvement or not - I think it probably is because I was somewhat intrigued by my confusion. It's somewhat surprising this is the second Tim Roth film we've met (and Reservoir Dogs was only done as a one-off special) but the third Vicky Krieps film (after The Phantom Thread and Corsage) - and Vicky has a far bigger role in both her previous films than Tim has in his. But I like them both in this and they're pretty relatable (they certainly have very relatable arguments!), even if they're not the most lovable of characters (and somewhat obsessed with Bergman). I also thought Mia Wasikowska did a good job as Amy, the lead character in Chris's screenplay - it's the first time we've met her but it's the second time we've met Anders Danielsen Lie who gets to play a bit of an asshole (again!). It's very beautiful to look at - all Scandinavian cottages and windmills in the sunshine with some gorgeous landscapes (although I didn't envy Vicky and the characters in her film diving into the sea). It's competently filmed with a minimum of tricks - nothing particularly impressive to write home about in my opinion but I did read a review that said it was written in a way that male critics wouldn't understand it, so I guess that's me told. I feel it's trying to make me think about things, but I'm not really sure what things - maybe it's a rumination on the nature of obsession (or maybe fandom would be a better turn of phrase), but I'd have to say I'm not convinced. I'd also say that everyone is very, very earnest in this except for Chris (who often seems pretty lost and miserable) - I can't say it's made me any keener to watch any Bergman films. And the Bergman safari that Tony goes on looks to be the dullest thing imaginable. I didn't hate this, but I wasn't exactly grabbed by it - it feels like a film designed for the critics to love and, in Empire's case, they very much did. And I'm quite surprised The Guardian didn't - only three stars from them and I actually agree with a lot of their comments. Under normal circumstances I've had deserted this way before the end but I'm glad I stayed because the final weirdness did make me think a bit more about it. But only a bit and it's just a shame I didn't come to any particular conclusion. At time of writing, it's available to stream on MUBI or to rent in all the usual places, but I'm not sure it will appeal to all that many people - sorry Empire, but this was a miss for me.

Charming and challenging.

A couple (Vicky Krieps & Tim Roth) retreat to the island where great director Ingmar Bergman lived and received much inspiration for his work. Although it's never directly stated, it's clear this couple (both screenwriters) is looking for inspiration too, particularly Krieps. The film follows them in a somewhat ambling manner as they explore the island, both together and apart. Their marriage feels a bit that way too; sometimes the two are walking together in general equanimity and other times, you can feel some resentments brewing. Is there some professional resentment there? Roth is older and more "successful" it would seem. Is Krieps, with her minor writers block, stewing at the relative ease with which Roth creates? Are there also personal resentments there? As we go through the film, we get answers to some of this and much remains up to us. It doesn't sound like much a plot to hang a movie on, but mid-way through the film, it takes a turn that makes some sense but is completely unexpected. Just in case you were starting to wonder where all this might be going, your interest is re-ignited at just the right moment. I won't say more, because I managed to avoid spoilers before watching, and that helped my enjoyment. The other thing that makes the film worthwhile is a really stellar performance from Vicky Krieps. All the major roles in the film are well handled (many minor roles are played by island residents, and it kinda shows), but Krieps is the one you can't look away from. Her character goes through the most complex journey and she handles it all well. I also like how arguments in the film are handled. Roth & Krieps often get along well and have an easy comradery; but they also are often not on the same page. But their fights are low key, and sometimes sort of stop and just simmer for a bit. And then maybe they just peter out rather than coming to a boil. It gives the film a convincing tone. (And the scenery of the island, though a bit stark, is lovely too.) There is A LOT in the film about Bergman. The residents of the island are all experts on him. A film festival in his honor is held there. The film is steeped in Bergman. Which immediately begs the question: In order to enjoy the film, must one be well-versed in Bergman? I am not, myself. I'm aware of his work, of course, and as a major film buff, I know his work is one of my gaps, I fully acknowledge. So I have a vague awareness of the kinds of films he made. But that's about it. And I enjoyed BERGMAN ISLAND despite my Bergman blank spot. I'll add further that the Criterion Blu-Ray of the film is top notch (if that's your viewing method). The film itself looks great, with just the right amount of grain to make the whole thing sparkle. And the extras are interesting and entertaining too. Good interviews and insights. And interesting to learn about how the film was made over two summers. Knowing that (after watching the movie) actually made my feelings of a few scenes evolve a little. Clearly, this is not a film for a mass audience. I frankly can't imagine someone who isn't a fan of "cinema" enjoying it. Slow moving. Most of the action of the film is internal. It's quiet. It's "artsy." It requires sub-titles (yes, it's mostly in English, but I needed them to really understand what many of the Swedish actors were saying). But it's a rich and satisfying entertainment nonetheless.

Detached rubbernecking at the charmed lives of the European creative class. The "too cool for school" atmosphere and the hot-and-cold approach to sentimentality makes the plot exhausting to engage with, despite it's relative simplicity, and the rare moments of humour sometimes feel like unendearing in-jokes. The film is competently directed and the location is gorgeous, but this does little to mitigate the lack of substance.

Overall, this film is filled with wonderful visuals and realistic performances from its leads, Tim Roth and Vicky Krips.  Bergman Island is packed with many themes, which are displayed perfectly.  It's a slow-paced film with moments and outcomes that will be subjective.  The film's second act and the ending has left me thinking deeply and processing the entire heartfelt, symbolic journey.  It's a well-made film, but I can't deny that I don't feel it's going to be everyone's taste given the kind of story, messages, and slow dramatic pace.

As the movie within the movie within the movie develops, your enjoyment will largely depend on how hard you want to work. I wasn't in the mood to take an exam, so while it's beautiful, it's also another example that you need a script. And isn't that the irony of all ironies. A film about well you know, has a lot of filler and not enough meat on the bone. The performances are worthwhile, but characters disappear and then show up in another place which is ultimately confusing. Final Score: 5.8/10

This is quite a solid, thoughtful film, with a real holiday/escapist feel to it. I liked the main performances and I liked that its essentially a story within a story, with the lady telling her idea for a potential film, to her husband, who is a successful director. I liked that it has a laidback feel, almost like the 온라인카지노추천 series (or film, if your in the US and saw the theatrical version) of the 'The Trip' series with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. I enjoyed this and would certainly recommend it, especially if your a fan of Bergman's work, as while this isn't all about Bergman per se, it may interest fans for the various inevitable Bergman references.

An hour of buildup where we run into cinephile after cinephile that has decided to make the pilgrimage to the island of Fårö to see where Bergman drew inspiration, as well as shot many of his most famous films, before running into a group of locals that just watch these weirdos trying to find the ruins of a house exterior torn down decades earlier. My first exposure to the work of French writer-driector Mia Hansen-Løve, Bergman Island is a slow work that puts much of Bergman's thematic work into a modern context, removing much of the ponderous nature without taking away the slow pacing and adding some meta elements. Bergman himself is referred to as this almost godlike being, who has eclipsed humanity and exists only as a bundle of philosophical musings and unreachable genius. While going through the motions of being awestruck in this holy ground, our protagonists Chris and Tony (Vicky Krieps and Tim Roth) put the themes Bergman explored to more practical use in a human context, while also exploring the role of the artist in the art as a film concept that Chris has developed bleeds into her real world struggles. The acting is solid, the allusions to Bergman's own work actually feel relatively sharp, and the story-within-a-story (which then melds with the 'real' story) seems like a creative plot design, but this film just never really connected with me. The slow pace, lack of objective plot development, and ambiguous ending make sense for a simmering domestic conflict, but might not have been what I was looking for on a Tuesday night. Might be worth a follow-up in the future with a different perspective to take advantage of the film's more distinctive elements. (3/5)

I always want to give slow, boring movies a chance and stay with it in hopes the 2nd half comes to life. This one never did and I feel it was a waste of my time. A really bad story line that included very boring people. This could have been so much better with a script that gave their stories some depth.

Approaching this as someone with a limited exposure to both famed Swedish director, Ingmar Bergman, (the only Bergman film I've seen is Wild Strawberries during a course I took decades ago) and this film's French writer-director, Mia Hansen-Love, (a name I've come across mainly on T-shirts), what's unmissable in this loving tribute and homage from the latter to the former, is its resolutely and potentially irksome indie film traits and sensibilities and its almost playful narrative layering that can be intriguing and navel-gazing in equal measures. Vicky Krieps and Tim Roth play a film-making couple who came to Fårö, the Swedish island home of Bergman, for inspiration and to work on their respective projects when friction and distractions begin to test their relationship. Reality blurs with fiction when the screenplay Krieps's character is writing comes to life in a film-within-a-film where Mia Wasikowska's American director Amy rekindles a love affair from her teenage past with Anders Danielsen Lie's Joseph at a wedding set on the same island. On paper, and even as I watch the film, dreading the inevitable indie-tainted ambiguous ending, I should've found this pretentious and perhaps unsatisfying, yet I find myself engaged enough to happily continue watching. It helps that this is rather beautifully put together with a certain understating grace to it; while a little post-film research uncovering Hansen-Love's 15-years relationship with fellow French director Olivier Assayas further deepens my understanding of where this film came from. The story won't raise anyone's pulse and the answers you seek will typically not be forthcoming in the endings (twice over, in fact) but, as if channelling Bergman's own Scenes From A Marriage, there's also something original and oddly captivating here in its treatise on both a flailing relationship and an artist's creative process that ultimately connects with me.

Mythical Faro Island? The Faro Islands do exist. Your blurb needs a rewrite. The movie is well acted and the cinematography is good. The pace is really slow and finally there is not much to the story.

I don't think many people will like this movie. I am not sure what to say about it except that I found it very moving. An introspection on creativity, appreciating art, and existing.

The synopsis for BERGMAN ISLAND sounds interesting. If only that were true. While there was the hint of a plot, it is very weak, boring, and seems entirely pointless. I learned a little bit about Ingrid Bergman and that was mildly interesting. But the story was a waste of time despite the presence of some good actors (Vicky Krieps, Tim Roth, Mia Wasikowska). There is essentially nothing going on in this movie. I'd recommend avoiding it.

Bergman Island is a highly intelligent, emotionally resonant film that although not having a demanding plot really struck a chord with me. Based on some of the best writing and acting of recent times this is a film to savour and enjoy in equal amounts. Tim Roth and Vicky Krieps play a film making couple, Tony and Chris, who make a journey to Faro Island off the coast of Sweden. Faro is known as the island of Ingmar Berman, the legendary film director. He lived and died there and many people go there as a kind of pilgrimage. They are both seeking inspiration and the film deals mainly with their realationship and their creative spirit. The film takes an interesting turn when Chris begins to explain to Tony her idea for a film, which then comes to life before our eyes. A film inside a film about a young couple reuniting on Faro. It's very clever and works very well thanks to some excellent writing as well as great performances from Roth, Krieps and Mia Wasikowska and Anders Danielsen Lie as the young couple. This is a very charming film that I loved quite a bit. A lovely look at romanticism and the creative spirit.

One of my favourite films of 2021. The last half hour is absolutely splendid in terms of storytelling. Such a little gem of a movie that takes its time but manages to tell a story that feels both familiar and strangely original.

The leading couples relationship was too perfect, they were too perfect and the whole story left me feeling nothing.