 |
| Images courtesy of Palace Films |
Black comedy is often a way to gage someone’s sense of humor. Some could see some violent event or interpersonal tragedy as cacklingly funny or jaw-droppingly horrific. Or some could find a nice chuckle when something horrible happens to someone on the big screen.
Under the Tree (2017) seems to fall somewhere in the middle of those varied reactions with one or two laugh out loud moments and many other dark and violent ones. A brief story of escalating tensions between two neighbors that only lasts 89 minutes, this Icelandic film will test your idea of what’s funny and what’s tragic.
After his wife kicks him out of the house, Atli (Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson) moves back in with his parents, whose resentment of their neighbors is escalating. Sharp-tongued Inga (Edda Björgvinsdóttir) and longsuffering Baldwin (Sigurður Sigurjónsson) accommodate their son while being asked by neighbors to trim a large tree in their back yard.
Next door, Eybjorg (Selma Björnsdóttir) can’t properly sunbathe because of the shadow created by the tree next door, so she has her husband Konrad (Þorsteinn Bachmann) talk to Baldwin. The passive aggressive chat over the bushes dividing their properties doesn’t go well, and many more passive aggressive and just plain aggressive conversations continue between Inga and Eybjorg, as well. Accusations and dog poo bags are thrown, security cameras installed, and a slightly confusing subplot involving Atli and his wife Agnes (Lára Jóhanna Jónsdóttir), quickly push the film to a bloody and violent conclusion.
Small scenes of characters dealing with grief and not truly knowing why events happen are themes that make this film about more than just an escalating feud. Not every incident has definite answers, causing all characters to jump to conclusions instead of pausing to reconsider the situation.
Under the Tree swept the 2018 Edda Awards (Icelandic Film and Television Academy) with so many nominations and wins, including Best Film, Director, Actor and Actress, and Screenplay. It also garnered wins at the Palm Springs, Dublin, Venice, and Zurich International Film Festivals.
The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
- EB