This elegant, Oscar-nominated film from Swedish writer-director Ruben Östlund is a dark comedy of frustration, a sly parable of white privilege brought low, set in a world of riches and social pretension. Tall, handsome Christian (Claes Bang) is the director of a Stockholm art museum, where he oversees provocative cutting-edge exhibits. Walking to work one morning, he is robbed just as he is preparing a socially-conscious exhibit called "The Square," a spot in the museum courtyard identified as a zone of compassionate human contact. His attention to an accompanying promotional campaign is diverted when his stolen belongings are traced to a high-rise housing project—where he puts a note in all of the mailboxes demanding his property back. That plan works, but a boy shows up demanding an apology for accusing him of stealing. Meanwhile, Christian also runs afoul of an American reporter (Elisabeth Moss) who he has a one-night stand with, after which she accuses him of misconduct. To make matters more fraught, his position at the museum deteriorates as The Square's ad campaign is attacked as racist, and a fundraiser for the exhibit turns disastrous. The Square satirizes the world of modern art, but its chief target is Christian, who represents the cluelessness of some liberal-minded individuals who blithely assume that their generalized sympathy for the less fortunate justifies their air of smug self-confidence. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a scene breakdown featurette (13 min.), casting tapes (5 min.), and a behind-the-scenes photo gallery. Bottom line: a decent extras package for this Oscar nominee.] (F. Swietek)
The Square
Magnolia, 151 min., in Swedish & English w/English subtitles, R, DVD: $26.99 Volume 33, Issue 2
The Square
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