The Simple-Minded Murderer (1982)

Den Enfaldige Mördaren deserves to be better known. It's a fabulous film directed by Hans Alfredson and stars Stellan Skarsgård in one of his most memorable performances as the hare-lipped young man Sven, who's considered retarded by his surroundings. He seeks consolation and spiritual strength in his faith and visions as his life becomes difficult and tormenting as a worker for the vicious local factory owner Höglund (played by Alfredson himself).Superbly played out in a slight retrospective manner, the film beholds a major heart. The emotional aspect is big as we witness Sven throughout the film; his childlike manners and his close relation to his guardian angels, the way he gets involved with the girl-next-door, and getting the opportunity to step up and being treated as an adult, receiving weekly salary and learning how to drive a motorcycle. It's a moving journey of a man who everyone around him seems to misunderstand and neglect. These bright and uplifting moments in the film works as a great counterbalance to the darkness it beholds, especially in the character of Höglund - he's first presented to us lurking into the stable where Sven sleeps among the animals, and he speaks violently and shows no affect for Sven, who's just lost his mother. Höglund treats Sven's sister as meat, shows no affection for his wife and kids, and uses gruesome actions to behold power in the local county.Den Enfaldige Mördaren is packed with symbolism and ideas, and it flows carelessly in place and time (we sense both the Middle Ages and something futuristic, and everything in between) and tells a tale a multi-layered tale, shuffling so many elements of humor, romance, spirituality, society's mangles, vengeance and adventure. It's a film that makes one enthusiastic about European cinema.

Dazzling performances by both a young and hardly recognizable Stellan Skarsgard, as a simple minded man and movie's director Hans Alfredson as the movie's villain. They both give Oscar winning performances. The storyline is very intriguing, cinematography is close to perfection, the musical score flawless, the supporting actors play excellently, the pace of the movie, starting with the hero's flashbacks and revealing the past slowly and gradually till its climax in just the ending 5 minutes of the film, is superb! An enlightening film and as i'm informed one of the best Swedish movies ever! A must see for every cinephile who is fed up with Hollywood junk!

I've been looking to see this film again for about 20 years! I saw this in San Francisco during the 80's and was blown away. I was in my early 20's and loved watching foreign films (mainly Swedish, Italian and Australian at the time). This was one of those films that really sticks out in your mind...especially that it makes you sympathize with the main character and understand why he hallucinates angels. It should not be categorized as a comedy although there were very funny moments in it, I feel those moments were only there for comedic relief because the film was so heavy. It really made me cry and was extremely thought provoking. I'm so glad it's available on DVD now. I'm going to buy a copy right now.

The two main actors (Hans Alfredsson and Stellan Skarsgård) make top performances in this movie about Evil personalized. It´s also a movie about Sweden in the late 30´s with poverty and pre-war nazism close at hand.