Lamb (2021)

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Day 66 of Sobriety.

In the interview that is included as the only extra on the UK blu-ray of Lamb, the director is asked if he considers it to be a horror film. He says that he doesn’t, and I can fully understand why. However, it is widely considered to be one, and I can understand why that is too. Specifically it is often referred to as “folk horror”—a sub-genre of which I am a quite a fan.

I won’t describe the plot, as it is definitely a case of  “the less you know the better,” but in support of the director’s stance, I think it is fair to say that for the bulk of its running time, the film is not trying to frighten its audience. It is, however, a strange, surreal film—and it is unsettling. For me personally, that, and the unexpected denouement, make it fair game for the “horror” tag.

The film plays out like a kind of dark fairy tale, and it is actually a very touching story. Although it is a supernatural tale, it is also very concerned with themes such as family, bereavement, grief, and how we, as humans, cope with those things. It takes place in a desolate but beautiful mountainous region of Iceland, and is stunningly photographed.

I felt that—like many of my favorite movies—it pulled me into to another world, and while the story is strange, sad, and frightening, there is also a kind of wistful beauty and poignancy that runs through it. When it ended, I felt a bit reluctant to leave the world of Lamb, and was already thinking about watching it again. I might, though, wait until I have different copy, as unfortunately the image quality of the UK blu-ray that I have is very poor, with quite a bit of noticeable distortion. (It also only has one extra—the aforementioned interview, which was conducted online. All-in-all it is probably one of the poorest blu-ray releases I have ever bought.)

From an alcohol/sobriety perspective, the scene in which the parents and the father’s brother get drunk and party, neglecting to keep a proper eye on their child, was a pretty tough watch. I don’t think I am guilty of ever having done that—fortunately—but I don’t doubt that there have been times when my alcohol use interfered with my parenting in more subtle ways.

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