Pure

Alicia Vikander is currently known for her role as Ava in sci-fi movie Ex Machina. She has also nabbed roles in movies like Anna Karenina and The Fifth Estate. However, I really only got to notice her talent in the Swedish film, Pure. This skyrocketed her career in feature films, garnering her praise for her performance. Rightly so, as Vikander was able to provide life in a tale that seems old as time.

Katarina is labelled as troubled. She's anti-social, has violent episodes, and people have been calling her crazy and mentally unstable. However, when she found music (in particular, Mozart), she was able to find solace from her miserable life. After watching a concert, she coincidentally found herself a job in the concert hall, landing her new problems - particularly when she launches into an affair with a conductor.

The story doesn't seem to be anything new, but beyond that, the film is about trying to move past what people have already labelled you, moving forward, finding a new reason to live. It doesn't say that the path won't be messy or complicated, but the determination to change has to be there in order for someone to forge a new reality. 

With Katarina being the sole focus of the film, the actress portraying her has to be able to carry the movie, which Vikander successfully accomplishes. Her range of emotions was suitable for Katarina, as it doesn't take complicated sequences for the character to project what she's feeling. The easy access to Katarina's emotions allows the viewer to see her personality the way that people around her don't see. She might be called crazy but somehow there is a rational reason about why she's acting the way she does. Granted her reactions are sometimes on the extreme side, but that's another issue altogether. Everyone else seems to fade around Vikander, but played their supporting roles well. 

The film was shot well, the framing and camera movement complimenting the production. It was well written, although it was on the predictable side. Still it was quite enjoyable and I'm looking forward to watching Vikander's other works. This is the first I've seen her in a leading role, and hopefully this wouldn't be the last. 

Final Word: The plot isn't anything special, but the performance and progression of the film certainly makes it an enjoyable film to watch. 

Cast: Alicia Vikander, Samuel Fröler, Josephine Bauer

Director: Lisa Langseth

Year: 2009