RAMS

Rams’ third act generously reward you with a touching finale that neatly ties together all the important thematical and emotional strands in this Icelandic film.

Brotherly love is as rare and elusive in quirky Icelandic dramedy Rams as sheep are, after an animal disease triggers compulsive extermination of the flocks of an entire village.

That is of course no coincidence: director Grímur Hákonarson thematically deftly links the existential questions that pop up among the suddenly flockless farmers to the personal feud of the two lead characters, who have not spoken for forty years despite living next to each other.

A minor flaw of Rams is that the actors portraying the brothers look awfully similar, which in the beginning makes it not always easy to figure out who’s who. Once you’re past that hurdle though, the picture slowly draws you into a story that relies almost exclusively on character, with just a handful of important plot developments scattered throughout.

The most important one of those – one I will not spoil here – leads directly into Rams’ third act, which makes up for the slow pace of the first hour to generously reward you with a touching finale that neatly ties together all the important thematical and emotional strands.

release: 2015

director: Grímur Hákonarson

starring: Sigurður Sigurjónsson, Theodór Júlíusson, Charlotte Bøving, Jón Benónýsson