88
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert
An uncommonly engaging comedy with ripe tragic undertones.
The Seagull's Laughter (Mávahlátur)
Critic Rating
(read reviews)User Rating
- Iceland,
- Germany,
- United Kingdom
- 2001
- · 102m
Director
Ágúst Guðmundsson
Cast
Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir,
Ugla Egilsdóttir,
Heino Ferch,
Hilmir Snær Guðnason,
Kristbjörg Kjeld,
Edda Björg Eyjólfsdóttir
Genre
Comedy,
Drama
In post-war provincial Iceland, Freyja returns from America as an attractive widow with seven suitcases of dresses, and a list of everyone who ever wronged or slighted her. Freyja wants to find a new husband, but the social order is more complicated than it seems at first, and so are her prospects.
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What are critics saying?
80
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
A delicious pitch-dark Icelandic comedy centering on a femme fatale so enigmatic it brings into question just how fatale she may actually be.
75
New York Post by V.A. Musetto
Seagulls is easy to take, insightful and darkly funny. The story sometimes seems forced and the characters stereotypical, but the engaging cast and surreal shots of the rugged landscape compensate.
75
New York Daily News by Elizabeth Weitzman
It's no easy trick to invite viewers into an utterly bleak setting populated by the dissatisfied and small-minded. But a droll script and generally deft direction make the Icelandic chill surprisingly inviting.
75
Boston Globe by Janice Page
Lively and beautiful filmmaking. It may leave you scratching your head, but it shouldn't leave you cold.
75
San Francisco Chronicle by Ruthe Stein
The offbeat drama The Seagull's Laughter is the kind of movie I appreciate because it never announces where it's headed.
75
Miami Herald by Marta Barber
Some scenes drag, but Seagull's Laughter is still delightful.
75
Chicago Tribune by John Petrakis
Solid acting anchors "Laughter," but it's Margret Vilhjalmsdottir and Ugla Egilsdottir as Freya and Agga who carry the load.
70
The Hollywood Reporter by Frank Scheck
Flirting intriguingly with film noir conventions, the film never really achieves a coherent tone in its depiction of the complicated and sometimes fatal series of events that arise.
70
The New York Times by Dave Kehr
Mr. Gudmundsson has created a sleek, light and entertaining work, with a few contrasting pockets of darkness and mystery.
70
Variety by Derek Elley
A sprightly, enjoyable comedy-drama from veteran Agust Gudmundsson that's buoyed by a raft of excellent distaff performances.
60
TV Guide Magazine by Ken Fox
Beautifully shot against Iceland's frozen landscape, the film is nearly as spellbinding as its strange heroine, whose essential mystery Gudmundsson preserves until the film's final frames.
60
Village Voice
Provides some swell roles for actresses and intriguing local detail.
50
L.A. Weekly by Chuck Wilson
Scenically beautiful, rhythmically uneven comedy.
50
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
Solid acting and an intriguing plot compensate for some dull spots.
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