She Monkeys (2011)

Alright, the DVD cover has actress Mathilda Paradeiser standing and holding a gun, which pretty much Sells the movie on a wrong Foundation. Sure there was a gun in the movie, but it wasn't a particularly big part of the story or the movie that it should be included on the movie cover.While the acting of Mathilda Paradeiser (playing Emma) and Linda Molin (playing Cassandra) was quite good and nicely carried the movie, then they were not able to save the awful script and storyline. It was as if director Lisa Aschan was abruptly cut short before having the chance to tie the ends together and actually make this a coherent and interesting story."Apflickorna", its original Swedish title, is unfathomably slow paced and took an hour and twenty-four minutes to tell almost nothing. There is a sort of beaten down and depressing sensation all throughout the entire movie, which in itself was a good achievement in setting the mood.It was a struggle to get through this movie, and the constant hope of it picking up pace and becoming entertaining just never rooted and took place.Now watched, this movie will be put on the shelf to gather dust and slowly fade into oblivion.

Lisa Aschen's film 'She Monkeys' is a tenderly observed account of two teenagers (and one younger girl) struggling with the pains of growing up, trying to be selected for a team of equestrian gymnasts. It's subtle, and leaves the inner workings of its protagonists' minds to the viewer's own understanding. The low budget is apparent in the relative absence, given the subject matter, of horses; but it doesn't mean that there isn't some skill in the acting, directing and writing. However, the plot doesn't really go anywhere, and the whole drama feels more like the prelude to another, more forceful story that doesn't actually happen.

Watching this film I was reminded of a hard-to-define need for ethical treatment of characters and issues in a film. By that I don't mean films can't describe ethically challenging or ambivalent situations, they should. But there should be a sense of commitment to the characters and the issues. This film was lacking in that. As a result, it felt pointless and disturbing. The plot centers around two teenage girls who are competing in the sport that consists of doing gymnastics on top of a galloping horse. One, two, three girls on a single horse running in circles to the sound of a whiplash. I would like to see this sport, which completely seems to forget the horse is sentient, forgotten. The film could have used it as a metaphor, but I don't think it did. I think the horse was ignored in the meta level as well. This is the kind of lack of commitment I mean.Harrowing things happen to the teenage girls and a seven-year-old little sister. The viewer is presented with hardly any tools to understand them or care for them. Thus, it feels they are left alone. There is one illuminating scene though: Cassandra asks Emma what she wants (a question misplaced, as it seems to be Cassandra at that moment who is acting out of unclear desires) and Emma replies "I want to be like I was before".As far as I can tell, there is nothing wrong with the acting or the technical work of the crew.

I found She Monkeys to be a somewhat confusing film, meaning that the intent of the director was not readily apparent to me.The tone of this film was more melancholic than playful. And foreboding. That is primarily because the main character, Emma, is a girl who purposefully hides her emotions. Because she is so stone-faced, it is difficult to know what she is thinking or to anticipate what she might do next.This does add some suspense to the story. And it did keep me involved, wondering where the story was going next.In the end, I did not find many truths or questions to reward my involvement. Technically, the film was well made. But emotionally, it left me wanting.