I dont think this movie was pretentious or over the top, I think it depicts very well on a social phenomenon that is too seldomly encountered in the "civilised" world:having intercourse without truly knowing your partner, without being sincere in your pursuing, leads to drama, emotional scaring and potential tragedy.
We have "him" a smooth talker, so used to getting what he wants, he's so charming until he gets it, we have seen this type before, he's an archetype, right? Count Alexei Vronsky from Anna Karenina, if you will. We know his catch phrases, his dialogue, 20 year old me would be giggling, 30something year old me would be bored and uninterested a.f. Enough with the swagger, how about your soul, depth, kindness, being genuine and passionate, thats what I would say and get in that taxi without a second thought, if I were the female character. So let's say that from that point of view I found the dialogues to be a little lacking, but the underline of the movie is still very emotional, I'll get to that.
we almost liked him. Almost ...as the female character because we should trust our gut and not buy into his bullshit.
We depict him later, after he got his way, changed in his demeanor, he doesn't smile or say those sweet things in the awkward "post coitus" morning, which he does his best to make it more even so.
On the other hand, we have "her" a socially awkward girl, we kinda see it from the start that she's got issues. Later, in the development, when she talks about being off for one year, being sad, talks to her mom on the phone about taking the pills in her bag and refuses to drink alcohol, we are lead to believe that she was suffering from severe depression, maybe.
She's not the extrovert her friends are, we see that, she tries to defend herself from his attacks, being a "b*tch", if you will, as sometime introverts do. He is not able to see it, narcissistic as he is, her defense only inflates him more.
So, the morning after all hell breaks lose, as his shallowness and her incredible sensibility collide. At the end, you would think they can make ammends, as adults, but, it could be too late.
Message of the movie: don't play with someone's heart unless you are able to take responsibility for it...or as friend of mine says:"interhuman relationships are haaaaaaarrrddd..."
Review of Stockholm
