Comedy
Drama
'The Square' TIFF 2017 Review: Satire and social commentary collide, in this pitch-black comedy
September 6, 2017Ben MK
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People often say, "art imitates life." But in writer/director Ruben Östlund's The Square, the phrase takes on a whole new meaning and reaches new heights of absurdity. Part scathing satire, part biting social commentary, and part pitch-black comedy, The Square follows Christian (Claes Bang), a museum curator who, after being robbed of his cell phone and wallet while on the way to work one morning, finds his sanity taking a turn for the worse, as a series of events — from a one-night stand with a journalist (Elisabeth Moss), to the decision to threaten violence against the thieves, to a museum promotional campaign that goes viral for all the wrong reasons — culminates in the undoing of his perfectly curated lifestyle. A followup to Östlund's critically acclaimed Force Majeure, The Square hilariously skewers the pretentiousness of the postmodern art world while leveling a devastating critique of society's attitudes towards some of its most vulnerable members, with results that will leave viewers not only amused, but also on the edge of their seats. |
The Square is receiving its North American premiere as part of TIFF 2017's Special Presentations programme. Its runtime is 2 hrs. 25 min.
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