Flickering Lights

r96sk8/10

Sep 28, 2023

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Almost unsure as to what I think about 'Flickering Lights'. The film, to me anyway, has such an odd feel to it throughout, there's a weird mix of story elements and I'm not convinced it all works - and yet, I actually really like it... I think. In parts, though, if I closed my eyes it would sound like one sorta movie and if I covered my ears it would look like a different one. What I mean is, the music doesn't quite match the onscreen events. Is the music good? Sure, but the more dramatic pieces don't fit with the rough and tumble nature of the plot. With that said, I do really love how the film begins/ends and how it all comes full circle - coolly done. The flick utilises flashbacks excellently, also. Cast-wise, it's absolutely solid. Søren Pilmark is an able lead, while Ulrich Thomsen, Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas, among a few others, are good behind Pilmark. I will say that the latter's part of the storyline with Sofie Gråbøl was off, it wraps up disappointingly... especially given *that* moment with Pilmark's Torkild, which should've sealed the opposite outcome. Interesting that Thomsen, Mikkelsen and director Anders Thomas Jensen would go on to make 'Adam's Apple' together five years after this. One of the flashbacks in this actually features heavy similarities to that 2005 film, which was presumably inspired by the short story used here. All in all, a very good release from 2000; even if it does leave a little bit of a strange aftertaste for me personally.