How do you measure grief? Or guilt? Or love? These are some of the profound questions that you will find yourself thinking about while watching the gentle and heartwarming film “1001 Grams”, the new film from acclaimed filmmaker Bent Hamer and Norway’s entry to the Oscars this year.
It’s kind of a weighty proposition but the movie is actually a very entertaining and crowd-pleasing drama with a little romance and bursts of comedy mixed into the well-told story of a daughter trying to cope with her father’s untimely death while representing Norway in the international conference on the kilo. Yes, do not be put off by the title. It’s about weight, about the weight of the kilo to be exact, now that last sentence was a paradox, sort of.
At the beginning of the story, we are introduced to Marie and Ernst. They are father and daughter scientists whose connections are limited to cigarette breaks in a cramped alleyway and an occasional weekend visits to Ernst’s farmhouse by Marie. Marie is dealing with personal issues on her own and as the story progresses we get to see that she is slowly losing her personal belongings yet we could feel that physically she seems to be burdened with some heavy stuff that she’s carrying in her heart. What could it be? Guilt? Frustrations?
There are layers to the title and the subject matter that, I fear, putting it down all here, would ruin the experience for the audience. I could easily rattle off the charming relationship between the title and narrative references and the connections it makes with real life but it has to be experienced by the audience first hand to be able to feel the gentle power of this movie.
“1001 Grams” is actually very subtle in layering out the various subtexts to the story and for an introspective moviegoer who likes to have a little laugh and a little entertainment while at the same time being challenged by the story, it is definitely a gift that deserves to be rewarded with vigorous applause.
The performances by the cast are amazing and the photography, splendid. I so love the parade with the blue umbrellas in the middle of the movie because it somewhat reminds the audience that there is life, there is color, there is order, there is beauty, in even the most boring stuff in the world.
Can i also tease you on why the title is 1001 Grams and not 1000 Grams if it is about the kilo? Hmm...
Rating: 5 stars
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