Together

Set in 1975 Stockholm at a communal living house called "Tillsammans" or "Together," this bittersweet comedy revolves around the members of a radical hippie commune as they fight, fall in love, and struggle to stay together. Director Lukas Moodysson perfectly captures the youthful idealism and visual style of the period, commenting on the social and political climate with a steady dose of irony and heartfelt emotion. The members of the commune, desperate to live in Socialist-like peace, fight about everything including television, meals, and dish-washing duties. One day, Goran (Gustav Hammarsten), a soft spoken and painfully mild-mannered member of the group, brings his straightlaced suburban sister Elisabeth (Lisa Lundgren) and her two children to live at the commune, rescuing her from an abusive husband. Initially, Elisabeth is shocked at the radical political and sexual attitudes of her new housemates but soon she is joining in spirited partying and coming to terms with her own sexual and social awakening. Similar to Moodysson's critically acclaimed 1998 film, SHOW ME LOVE, he portrays sexuality and alienation with a breathtakingly simple honesty. Moodysson also sheds light on the experiences of Elisabeth's two painfully shy children who are trapped in a seemingly crazy adult world. The film offers a refreshing view of the 1970s, fraught with the joys and dangers of social idealism.