Emily Mody - A Moment in the Reeds (Fairy Tales 2018)

Posted on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 10:00 AM

A Moment in the Reeds (Fairy Tales 2018)

Review by Emily Mody x CalgaryMovies.com

A Moment In The Reeds directed by Mikko Makela is a feature length romance film. The story follows Leevi (played by Janne Puustinen) and his father, Jouko (played by Mika Melender). Leevi is a student in Paris. He returns home to Finland for the summer to assist his father in renovating their family’s lake house so it can be sold. Tareq (played by Boodi Kabbani), a young man and asylum seeker from Syria, is hired on to help with the work as well. When Jouko has to go into town for a few days to manage his business, Tareq and Leevi become better acquainted and establish a romantic connection.

There is something so peaceful about this film. The quiet scenery, the way the world disappears for these two characters, it is a very calming thing to watch. I can think of no better title for this film. This “moment”, that in actuality is set over the course of a couple days is emotionally and visually stunning. There is such of feeling of escapism while watching this film. It is as if the problems and questions of the world no longer exist. Everything about the film is very aesthetically beautiful. From the scenery, to the actors, even the way the characters speak in these slow, measured tones almost as if their voices were music. The acting was excellent and again, so enjoyable to watch. The emotional connection between Tareq and Leevi felt very authentic and honest. I really enjoyed the character development. It is very strong and interesting to watch. I particularly enjoyed the story and development behind Tareq’s character. The difficulties that he faced as a Syrian man who is also homosexual were, in many ways, insurmountable and incomparable to any difficulty Leevi could have experienced as a homosexual Finnish man. There is a lot of value to be found in such a powerful story.

A Moment In The Reeds shares many similarities with The Notebook directed by Nick Cassavetes. The tone, style and overall aesthetic beauty are similar and very important aspects of both films. The Notebook follows two young adults as they meet and fall in love one summer. The rest of the story traces their paths into adulthood as they weave into and out of each other’s lives. The Notebook is very much a romantic film though and its story does not leave the same amount of space for social commentary that A Moment In The Reeds does.

A Moment In The Reeds is rated 14A for sexual content and language. Just to note also, about half of the film has English subtitles because the characters mainly speak Finnish. This film is so beautiful and honest. If you enjoy romantic films that make you think about the world and your place within it then you will definitely enjoy this one.

A Moment In The Reeds will be screening as a part of 20th Fairy Tales Film Festival 2018 in Calgary. You can catch it on Friday, May 25, 2018 at 9:00pm at The Plaza Theatre.