The Square

Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: October 27, 2017

7.1	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 116 Ratings

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AndrewBurgeApr 2, 2018

The world of Ruben Östlund's The Square is a lawless one. No, I don't mean Mad Max type lawless, not even close. It is rather tame, yet there seems to literally be no presence of order and law enforcement in it. The scene in which Christian,The world of Ruben Östlund's The Square is a lawless one. No, I don't mean Mad Max type lawless, not even close. It is rather tame, yet there seems to literally be no presence of order and law enforcement in it. The scene in which Christian, the curator of the X-Art Museum of Modern Arts, has his goods stolen from him is treated with laughter and amazement at the skills of the perpetrators, rather than anger and a swoop to the police. In fact, the Police is not even mentioned. Rather, he prefers to take matters into his own hands distributing threatening letters to an apartment block where he believes the thief lives. And... it works. It is clear that Ruben Östlund is aware of the illogical actions and the near surreal world he creates.

Yet despite the visual expression of social isolation, 'The Square's style of enclosing itself from the real world into one in which it loosely parodies the life of the modern man creates confusion through its subtle approach. It does not have true surreal moments, yet it expects us to treat it metaphorically. Sure, it succeeds in representing the way the modern and cultured man is so self-controller that it can easily be taken as a fool, but there is an unnatural unease to every action.

There is, of course, one brilliant scene of performance art from Terry Notary's Oleg Rogozin, who, while performing as an ape during a luxurious dinner, loses his mind, for some ubiquitous reason, and so the guests themselves have to physically put him to the ground. This latter part of the scene is a bit unnecessary and rather bizarre.

Still, 'The Square' has monumental ambitions and through is intentional or unintentional absurdity takes its claim into revolutionizing the way movies are thought, even though, it kinda fails...… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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markmoskMar 6, 2018

I love the look of his movies so they'll always be worth seeing for me. There's a certain irony in that visual beauty being juxtaposed with the terrible aesthetics of the Danish language (about the only place where the Danes do ugly). ForceI love the look of his movies so they'll always be worth seeing for me. There's a certain irony in that visual beauty being juxtaposed with the terrible aesthetics of the Danish language (about the only place where the Danes do ugly). Force Majeure was a favorite of mine that year. And I have no problem with the (epidemic of) foreshortened endings of art films. I usually watch for the how it's told, not what's told. Chopped endings can work very well. I don't require a hollywood ending. In this case, too many interesting plot/sub-plot points left out to appreciate the ending. I was with this film the whole way up to the end but it felt --at 2.5 hrs long (which went by quickly btw)-- that the director just didn't see a way to properly end it...which is unfortunate. It has an ending that can be argued and defended and while I can't propose anything, it just wasn't right.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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ALAMLEDPJan 19, 2023

"The Square" is a 142-minute film that follows Swedish art curator Christian, played by Claes Bang, after his phone is stolen. This sets off a chain of events that threatens to unravel his self-absorbed world. The film also stars Elisabeth"The Square" is a 142-minute film that follows Swedish art curator Christian, played by Claes Bang, after his phone is stolen. This sets off a chain of events that threatens to unravel his self-absorbed world. The film also stars Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West and is directed by Ruben Östlund. It is a savage satire that explores the art world and is both hilarious and thought-provoking. The film challenges viewers' assumptions and is similar to the film "Kynodontas" in its ability to make the audience question their understanding of the rules. It appears innocent on the surface but delves into chaos and farce, expertly puncturing the bubble of the art world and leaving a lasting impression on viewers.
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"The Square" es una película de 142 minutos que sigue al curador de arte sueco Christian, interpretado por Claes Bang, después de que le roben el teléfono. Esto desencadena una cadena de eventos que amenaza con desentrañar su mundo ensimismado. La película también está protagonizada por Elisabeth Moss y Dominic West y está dirigida por Ruben Östlund. Es una sátira salvaje que explora el mundo del arte y es a la vez hilarante y estimulante. La película desafía las suposiciones de los espectadores y es similar a la película "Kynodontas" en su capacidad para hacer que la audiencia cuestione su comprensión de las reglas. Parece inocente en la superficie, pero se adentra en el caos y la farsa, perforando hábilmente la burbuja del mundo del arte y dejando una impresión duradera en los espectadores.… Expand

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Craftnight405Apr 26, 2023

The Square ist ein Viereck, welches ein Kunstwerk ist. Innerhalb des Vierecks gibt es keine Vorurteile und man darf sagen, was man will. So vermarktet es der Leiter des Museums in Stockholm, Christian. Als ihm seine Geldbörse und sein HandyThe Square ist ein Viereck, welches ein Kunstwerk ist. Innerhalb des Vierecks gibt es keine Vorurteile und man darf sagen, was man will. So vermarktet es der Leiter des Museums in Stockholm, Christian. Als ihm seine Geldbörse und sein Handy gestohlen wurde, lernt er innerhalb des Films die negativen Seiten des Lebens und er hinterfragt sein Gesellschaftsbild.

The Square ist eine Dramödie, welche nicht allen gefällt. Der Film ist sehr kompliziert und man muss sich stark konzentrieren, um die Handlung zu verstehen. The Square geht definitiv viel zu lange und die Spannung wird nicht gut genug gehalten. Es gibt ein paar spannende Momente: Als Christian die Drohbriefe einwirft, Der Junge, welcher eine Entschuldigung möchte und der Affenmann. Der Film folgt keiner geraden Linie und springt von Ereignis zu Ereignis. Die Kameraführung ist etwas besonders, da wenn es Gespräch gibt, nicht immer zwischen den Gesprächspartner geschnitten wird. Das führt dazu, dass man sich als Zuschauer fragt, wie das Gesicht der Stimme auszieht. Es gibt viele Kameraeinstellungen, wo gar nicht geschnitten wird. Der Film befasst sich mit dem Thema Meinungsfreiheit, wie weit Kunst gehen kann und Vorurteile. Für einige kann der Film sich langweilig anfühlen und für andere interessant und fesselnd. Für mich persönlich ist es eher die Langeweile, obwohl es auch spannende und interessante Momente gab. The Square ist so ein Film, den man sich mehrmals ansehen muss, um ihn genau zu verstehen. Es kann sein das beim zweiten Gucken mir der Film besser gefällt. Die schauspielerische Leistung kann ich gar nicht kritisieren, da die Schauspieler alle gut ausgewählt wurden und überzeugend spielen.

6,5/10… Expand

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