Children of Nature (1991)

Let's be realistic.

Excellent, a Must See

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

A fantastic film. Gísli Halldórsson gives a great performance as always and really gives the movie a lot.It is a very beautiful film where the main contrast is not on spoken word but on what the eye sees and that is what makes this movie work not only in Iceland but worldwide. There is not word spoken for the first 20 minutes of the films and by then the viewer doesn't really care if the film is in Icelandic or in English or what ever other language.The movie clearly shows that you don't need to be 20 years old to be in love and how some people are simply children of natureOne of the best films i have seen. 10/10

This movie begins with Geirri leaving the family farm and moving in with his family. He's gotten to old to handle farming on his own, and his family has decided that they are more suited to life in the city. The attempt to merge into his daughter's hectic life doesn't work out and he finds himself in a nursing home, surrounded by fellow retirees - some of whom are loving the time and the freedom the home allows right alongside others who are not.Geirri meets up with Stella, a childhood sweetheart who has decided that dying in a nursing home is something she does not want to do. So, they decide to leave together. By the dead of night they steal a car and head for the towns of their youth...Geirri and Stella are running form the law (leaving the home without permission and, more importantly, car theft), but there is no 'Bonnie and Clyde' feeling to this story. They return to the towns they knew and remember the years together. There are spirits in their mind and spirits of the ocean who meet them along the way. You get an excellent sense of their strength, knowledge, and experience.All in all, this movie is very touching - until the end.I really appreciated the journey and the experiences Geirri and Stella have, but the plot twist that brings the viewer to a final scene which is (in my opinion) brutal, disturbing, and (to be frank) confusing end. Yes, Geirri running from the law, and yes, he is trying to maintain his freedom, but...the rocks and the feet...?Confusing and jarring. There was a fascinating mystical feel to the way the movie plays itself out, and one could theorize that the ending was more symbolic than realistic. But, why throw that kind of symbolism onto the end of such a touching (and realistic) movie?Even so, I highly recommend this movie. There's to much to be gained from the movie as a whole to allow the oddness of the ending to stop you from seeing it.

"Children of Nature" is the first Icelandic film I have ever seen and I was pleasantly surprised. It concerns two former childhood sweethearts (Thorgeir & Stella) who meet in an old age home, escape, and return to their remote hometown.This film is a nice antidote to most Hollywood movies: the stars are nasty old people, the pace of the film is slow, and there are elements of magical realism. It also doesn't hurt that the cinematography is excellent and shows off Iceland beautifully.After seeing this film, I get the impression that Iceland is a weird and wonderful place and I hope to visit soon!P.S. If you liked "Wings of Desire" you'll appreciate the cameo by the angel Damiel (Bruno Ganz).

I ´ve seen some of the earlier works of Fridrik and with one exception hated them all. He started by insulting the Icelandic nation by doing a horrible (and terribly long film) about one of nation's greatest writers. Then he did a documentary about Iceland and got almost all of through the windscreen of a car, driving too fast. "Rock in Reykjavik" was a pleasant documentary and really fun to watch. But this film puts him among the world's most talented directors and for a small nation, that is a lot of responsibillity. Since he did "Börn Náttúrunnar" he hasn´t done anything to speak of but it´s hard to tell whether he has passed his peak, or the best has yet to come.