Teen-angst drama merges with trans identity parable in this pointed fantasy movie from suburban Sweden. It could remind you of Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In or Lukas Moodysson movies such as Show Me Love and We Are the Best!
Three teenage girls are getting bullied at school by misogynist, homophobes in their class, and their useless teacher stands by and lets it happen. They are Kim (Tuva Jagell), Bella (Wilma Holmén) and Momo (Louise Nyvall). Posters of David Bowie and Patti Smith in the bedroom hint at identity issues; the girls yearn for deliverance from the prison of gender. Then, in a coven-like defensive huddle, these three drink from the fermented juice of a strange fruit growing in a greenhouse in one of their gardens – and they turn into boys, savouring their new freedom in these strange new bodies, each with a ridiculous appendage like a “baby bird”. But, far from showing solidarity, one finds himself rather enamoured of his new alpha status and, deserting the other two, begins an ambiguous gay-straight affair with one of the boys.
It’s perhaps a little unfocused and unsure where it’s going. But the lack of direction arguably makes sense. Interesting, messed-up, complicated stuff.
