This year’s Scandinavian Film Festival naturally showcases the style and culture of cinema from the northern region of the planet. The Swedish/Norwegian collaboration, Underdog, is one of these.
The film follows Dino (Bianca Kronlöf), a poor, unemployed, Swedish girl in her twenties who becomes a housekeeper for a middle-class Norwegian family. She soon pursues a secret affair with the father Steffen (Henrik Rafaelsen), shaking the foundations of both of their lives. It also affects Steffen’s awkward teenage daughter Ida (Mona Kristiansen), who admires Dino and is possibly enamoured with her.
While Underdog’s prevalent ideas dealing with the class divide between the economically struggling Sweden and the better-off Norway are definitely informative and interesting, it’s unfortunately neutered (like the Swedish title - Swedish Bastard, which has become the less effective English, Underdog). This is because of its focus on a clichéd love story with predictable results. Even with its short runtime, the film regrettably moves at a snail’s pace.
The film excels in naturalism, with people feeling real and the cultural situation felt, but forgets to engage or give characters personality. Kronlöf’s Dino proves the best despite her character’s obvious arc, creating some nuance with her plain, dingy appearance.
Underdog could have made more of an impact with its interesting cultural ideas and insights, but in the end is a missed opportunity.
