I have seen this film twice, about ten years apart. It is the sort of quiet film that is wonderful when it is done right, though sometimes you need to be in the mood for them. Bill Nighy as Lawrence gives a strong, understated performance here. The movie description states that his character is lonely and I suppose that is true. But he is lonely in the way that William Hurt is lonely in the classic The Accidental Tourist. Contemplative, leading a quiet existence, but not pathetic or requiring pity. But I also have this image of a man who once might have been excited about his job, his role in bringing about social change for the better, but as a career government employee, now knows that the game is lowered expectations, endless negotiations and much less than perfect results. And just as Geena Davis’s character lights a fire under William Hurt’s finely crafted life in the earlier film, a character with a similar name, Gina, does the same for our Lawrence. She possesses a spark, a fierce idealism That has long since slipped away from Lawrence. She challenges the notion that social justice is something that can be negotiated by politicians, and her energy enlivens Lawrence. The question is, will her enthusiasm and stubborn activist attitude threaten the career that has all but defined Lawrence’s life for many years?
American chess champion Bobby Fischer prepares for a legendary match-up against Russian Boris Spassky.
After an older lady hangs herself in a church, a new psychiatrist discovers she was obsessed with the disappearance of his eight-year-old son, who vanished three years earlier. Meanwhile, three city dwellers are restoring a house when they realize it is haunted.
Thirty-year-old Hlynur still lives with his mother and spends his days drinking, watching porn and surfing the net while living off unemployment checks. A girl is interested in him, but he stands back from commitment. His mother's Spanish flamenco teacher, Lola, moves in with them for Christmas. On New Year's Eve, while his mother is away, Hlynur finds out Lola is a lesbian, but also ends up having sex with her. He soon finds out he and his mother are sharing more than a house. Eventually he must find out where he fits into the puzzle, and how to live life less selfishly.
When Bússi, Iceland's toughest cop, is forced to work with a new partner to solve a series of bank robberies, the pressure to close the case as soon as possible proves too much for him.
In the mid to late '90s, the Reykjavik crime and drug scene saw a drastic change from a relatively small and innocent world into a much more aggressive and violent one.. The film tells the story of this change through the fictional gang of pushers that took control of Iceland's underworld.
At the most dangerous point of the Cold War, political enemies Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev meet in Iceland over one long, tense weekend to decide if there will be peace or war. They sit across from each other, choosing to unclench their fists and instead extend their hands — a triumph of overcoming fear, differences, egos, and consequences.
An American photographer adrift in a remote Icelandic community becomes entangled in the lives of a mysterious European couple.
Top volcanologist Anna Arnardóttir faces two disasters at once: a volcanic eruption that threatens the safety of the capital city and a love affair that could destroy her marriage.
A former sailor who has served prison sentences for alcohol smuggling fights to keep his family afloat. He is offered pay for a last tour of cargo between Reykjavik and Rotterdam. He agrees, in the hope to get out of debt, but unexpected events occur.
The most dangerous former operative of the CIA is drawn out of hiding to uncover hidden truths about his past.
Follows the life of people inside and outside of Hlemmur Foodhall. An old bus stop in Reykjavík, Iceland that has been converted into a fancy foodhall.