Lamb

Can overanalyzing a movie diminish its enjoyment? I love this question because it acknowledges a simple truth about films we love. Some accounts — while fascinating — don’t stand up to that kind of analysis. Lamb is a captivating picture, but it needn’t be scrutinized. It’s not for everyone, but it was for me. I enjoyed its weirdness.

Director Valdimar Jóhannsson is making his feature-length debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with Sjón, a poet, novelist, and lyricist who frequently collaborates with singer Björk. This folk tale concerns sheepherders in rural Iceland. On a fateful Christmas Eve, one of their sheep has a baby. This lamb is different. The couple has lost a child and perhaps this is why they take extra interest in the animal. The overarching through-line is a tender yarn about a maternal bond. They wrap the animal up, bring her into the house and have it sleep next to them in a crib in the bedroom. They name her Ada. It takes some time before we — the audience — understand what makes this baby unique. Although if you’ve seen the trailer, her deformity will not be a surprise.

The mood is somber and there is little conversation. The actors convey a lot with looks and glances . Actress Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [2009]) imbues María with a steely resolve. Rapace is a Swedish actress but she lived in Iceland for a few years with her family as a child. She is still fluent in the language. Actor Hilmir Snær Guðnason (The Sea) is less famous outside of his native Iceland. As Ingvar, he manages to convey both the stoicism of Gerard Butler and the lighthearted goofiness of John Ritter. I use those references because he suggests both actors in appearance.

Haunting and hypnotic. That’s Lamb in a nutshell. It is a production that heavily relies on atmospherics . Developments unfold rather slowly. There’s a palpable feeling that something sinister is brewing. Like a pot simmering on the stove just on the precipice of a boil. However, there are welcome bits of levity that alleviate the solemnity. Ingvar’s brother Pétur (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson) shows up unannounced to stay for a while. The next morning he is sitting at the breakfast table. When Ana comes to the table, the look on his face is priceless. His response affirms what the audience has been thinking.

Lamb can be challenging. The story is not heavy on plot. Movies that get by on simplicity should be brief. This saga is 14 minutes shy of 2 hours. There are periods where the lack of dialogue and events don’t serve the production. The stretches of silence can almost parody the minimalism of an art-house flick. Then again, I’m convinced the humor is intentional. The visual manifestation of Ana is a weird hybrid of horror and comedy. A chronicle with a slow narrative with little action can often tax the viewer’s patience. Here however the quality has enough provocation to keep the viewer enrapt. There is so much to appreciate here.

10-12-21