Friday, August 20, 2010

Men who hate Women

This is not a deep psychological study. But it's a sober, grown-up film. It has action, but not the hyperkinetic activity that passes for action in too many American movies. It has sex, but not eroticism. Its male lead is brave and capable, but not macho. Its female lead is sexy in the abstract, perhaps, but not seductive or alluring. This is a movie about characters who have more important things to do than be characters in an action thriller.

I first saw the book two years ago, and passed on it. The cover and title led me to think that it'd be one of those artless books about farangs and their cheap girlfriends written by none other than the star semi-literate farang himself.

This turned out to be the classic case of erroneously judging a book by its cover.

In my defence, I am positive that I would not have ignored the book if it had retained its original title: Män som hatar kvinnor.

Men who hate Women.
They live among us in authority figure roles - as protectors, mentors, guardians.

I recommend the book and the movie for women who are willing to examine the pervasive phenomenon of man-on-woman violence.

7 comments:

dancingbunny said...

it was turned into a movie if i m not wrong?

tuti said...

only two species, man and woman. and it's complicated enough.
add hatred in, i think everyone should run for their lives.

sinlady said...

bunny - the swedish version movie is playing now in GV. the american ones (trilogy) is being cast now and will be released in 2011/12.

tuti - i take a very strong stand about feminist politics, and i despair at every turn.

wildgoose said...

Now this book sounds like a must-read. I thought it's one of those action movie. =p

sinlady said...

wildgoose - the book is a better read than i dared hope for considering it's a translated work. the american version with daniel craig i think will be an action movie more than anything else :)

imp said...

i love swedish films because they're so poignant and refreshingly direct compared to Hollywood hypocrisy. Check out the rest, like Ondskan. I think you'll like it.

sinlady said...

imp - thanks. will look them up :)