REVIEW: The Square

Courtesy of Magnolia

The Square, winner of the Palm D’or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is the epitome of an art house film – especially since the plot literally revolves around a contemporary art museum and the complex, often baffling culture that affluent environment produces. It’s not mainstream entertainment by any stretch of the imagination.

However, niche viewers who enjoy stepping out of their comfort zones, investigating other cultures and (gasp!) aren’t afraid of subtitles will discover a wickedly funny satire. The Square offers a brutal takedown of upper class hypocrisy and is confident enough in its story to employ interesting tonal shifts and scenes that are downright unbearable in order to communicate key themes.

Viewers are introduced to this strange world through museum curator Christian (Claes Bang, incredible in a difficult role), an idealistic but insincere man who likes to talk a good game without realizing he’ll eventually have to back it up. He spends his days doing interviews with journalists (like the one played by a terrific, underutilized Elisabeth Moss) and sitting in marketing firm pitch meetings, using completely meaningless buzzwords as placeholders where interesting ideas should be.

Christian’s next show is “The Square,” an exhibit that invites visitors to think about their altruism, reminding them to be responsible citizens and ignore their own egos. However, his own hypocrisy is revealed after a creative thief steals his phone and wallet, and he employs increasingly foolish methods to get them back.

Writer-director Ruben Ostlund ensures The Square is beautifully shot and wonderfully acted, plus he trusts the audience to get the film’s message without making it obvious. I’m sure the ambiguous ending will drive some viewers bonkers, but it’s a sad, uncomfortable moment that contains different meanings depending on how you interpret it.

The film’s framework – a series of episodic vignettes – is equally attractive and frustrating. Some of the segments are amazing, like an excruciating sequence in which a performance artist (Terry Notary) traumatizes a room full of rich donors – and perhaps some viewers themselves – when he transforms into ape. Or a scene where Christian’s team and an outside marketing firm are brainstorming new “viral content.” That one is so absurdly realistic I found myself having flashbacks to a time when I worked in a similarly nightmarish environment.

Yet several moments are extraneous and redundant. Scenes with Dominic West as a pretentious artist pad the running time and waste a great actor. Others simply hammer home Christian’s disingenuous nature long after we’ve gotten the point. There’s absolutely no reason for the movie to be two-and-a-half-hours long.

Still, The Square is a more than worthy choice to represent Sweden in the race for a Best Foreign Film Oscar. Even when it’s treading back and forth over similar ground, the movie is immensely watchable. The highs it ultimately achieves makes the lows worth it.

The Square is rated R for language, some strong sexual content, and brief violence. Now playing in limited release.

Grade: B