The young director of the Swedish sleeper hit Show Me Love returns with an even better followup, a charming slice-of-life portrait of a 1975 leftist commune and the various well-meaning kooks that populate it. You know there's some justice in the world (or at least in Sweden) when something like this can outgross The Grinch in its home country six times over.
It's hard to use words like "joyous" when describing a film, for the word unfortunately has come to suggest schmaltz, corniness or sentimentality, all of which Together thankfully lacks. But Moodysson nevertheless has made a very joyous and very much alive film, filled with great characters (it's a testament to his storytelling skills that he can introduce over a dozen different people within a few minutes, yet you can immediately keep track of who's who), a terrific cast who don't seem like they're acting, a witty script, and a keen eye for '70s detail. (It even feels three decades old – the director aped the "Dogme" verité look for Show Me Love, but here he uses lots of wacky camera zooms and quick dissolves that shouldn't work, but do.)
For me the film brought back many pleasant memories of the summer of 1979, when I visited my family in Norway. So perhaps I'm biased. But for God's sake, if you want to see the work of one of the most enjoyable filmmakers around today, then go see Together. You will actually leave the theatre feeling happy, and this review goes out to all those people who accuse me of only liking "depressing" films.