The Square foregrounds a dilemma at the core of artistic practice: as moving and influential as it can be, art too often exists in a realm separated from “real life,” cordoned off as safely “consumable” entertainment. —Guest post by Michael Joshua Rowin

| Jun 10, 2022

The Square is actually the sum of its parts, rather than a seamless whole. Viewers are probably going to pick differing scenes as their favourites.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 14, 2019

A gentle critique, peopled with eccentric but likeable characters, those who have the warmth and the humanity to redeem themselves.

| Jul 12, 2018

At times a searing social commentary, the darkly funny The Square is an indictment of the decadence of upper-middle-class inner city liberals and their cluelessness to everyone outside of their privileged bubbles.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 27, 2018

The Square is undeniably entertaining, though its lasting use may be to demonstrate that movies can have the same effect as popping a coin in the collecting tin. Having seen the film, you can rest easy knowing you've already given.

| Mar 22, 2018

Östlund at his best can have his cake and push it in your face.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 18, 2018

Like Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma's oddly off-kilter rendition of Ave Maria, which echoes throughout the drama, The Square is a strange mix of pop and profundity: archly entertaining, occasionally grating and consistently uncomfortable.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 18, 2018

Ostlund uses his setting to explore hidden inequalities in supposedly liberal societies, particularly those concerning masculinity, race and class, playing with our expectations about what is supposed to happen versus the uncomfortable results.

| Mar 17, 2018

... an astoundingly smart film...

| Original Score: 5/5 | Mar 16, 2018

In spite of its lengthy running time and the darkness of its themes, the film is frequently very funny.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 14, 2018

Östlund is a clever, dazzling misanthrope.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Mar 14, 2018

Another dazzling film by Sweden's Ruben Östlund.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 14, 2018

Pondering everything from free expression and sexual harassment to bourgeois guilt and migrant rage, this superbly acted saga may not always hit the target. But it unerringly leaves its mark.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 14, 2018

Gloriously cynical and delightfully slapstick - take from it what you will.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 13, 2018

Describing this as a film about art would be like describing Casablanca as a film about running a bar.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 7, 2018

The script is witty, the performances flawless, the ideas - mostly - profound.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 23, 2018

An examination of social context, elitism, cultural bubbles and more, The Square is - to put it precisely - absolutely bonkers. But purposefully bonkers.

| Original Score: A | Dec 8, 2017

The whole experience is rough going: sometimes numbing, sometimes horrifying, sometimes merely baffling. There's a kind of artful artlessness at work here

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 17, 2017

It's funny throughout - not to say that it inspires many laughs, but it's full of irony and absurdity and is very smart.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 10, 2017

As overindulgent as it is, The Square is a darkly humorous and horrific mirror to our culture.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 9, 2017