Force Majeure
Force Majeure

Movie spotlight

Force Majeure

2014
Movie
120 min
Swedish

While holidaying in the French Alps, a Swedish family deals with acts of cowardliness as an avalanche breaks out.

Insights

IMDb7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes93%
Metacritic87/100
Google Users86%
Director: Ruben ÖstlundGenres: Drama, Comedy

Plot Summary

A seemingly idyllic family vacation in the French Alps takes a jarring turn when an avalanche threatens their ski resort. During the chaotic event, the father, Tomas, prioritizes his own escape over his wife and children, revealing a deeply unsettling cowardice. This act shatters the family's dynamic and forces them to confront uncomfortable truths about their relationships and societal expectations of masculinity. The aftermath of the incident becomes a tense exploration of their strained interactions and the unspoken anxieties that linger.

Critical Reception

Force Majeure received widespread critical acclaim, lauded for its sharp social commentary, masterful direction, and unflinching portrayal of modern relationships. Critics praised its dark humor and the uncomfortable truths it exposed about family dynamics and gender roles. The film was particularly noted for its ability to provoke thought and discussion long after viewing.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its incisive exploration of masculinity and societal expectations.

  • Acclaimed for its masterful direction and darkly humorous tone.

  • Applauded for its uncomfortable yet realistic portrayal of family dynamics.

Google audience: Audiences generally appreciated the film's thought-provoking narrative and its ability to generate discussion about family and societal roles. Many found the dark humor effective, though some noted the film's slow pace and uncomfortable realism.

Awards & Accolades

Won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards.

Fun Fact

The avalanche sequence in the film was created using controlled explosions and a mixture of water, air, and foam, as a real avalanche was too unpredictable and dangerous to film.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

Community Critic Reviews

No critic reviews have been posted yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.

My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Tomas" (Johannes Kuhnke), wife "Ebba" (Lisa Loven Kongsli) and the kids "Vera" (Clara Wettergren) and "Harry" (Vincent Wettergren) travel to the French Alps for a skiing holiday. The first thing you might notice from the initial photography...

Reno

Reno

> Family defines unity, in whatever circumstances. A Swedish dark comedy film, about a family and their vacation on the French Alps. It is not my favourite flick, but liked it a lot because of the refreshing theme. A satisfiable storytel...

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this title yet.