101 Reykjavik (DVD)

Iceland is often portrayed by outsiders as a strange country, almost other-worldly in its oddness, its inhabitants are portrayed as kooky and a bit strange, well this is possibly the most famous Icelandic film ever, shot by the Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur and it portrays the Icelanders as slightly odd and kooky. The Film: The film is named after the postcode of the district in which the film is shot, our hero (or anti-hero) is the terminally geeky (and yet very cool) Hlynur (Hilmir Snær Guðnason). He is nearing 30, lives with his mum, has an addiction to cyberporn and can't find a job, he spends most of his spare time in a central ...  Read the complete review

"I'll be dead after I die. I was dead before I was born. Life is just a break from death" So says Hylnur, the lugubrious anti-hero of "Reykjavik 101". Fast approaching thirty he lives with his mother and shows no sign of leaving home or getting a job. Hylnur spends his days watching porn films and his nights in bars with his friends. Sometimes he sleeps with his "girlfriend" but spends rather more time avoiding the girl than actually in her company. Hylnur is just filling in time. When his mother announces that Lola, her attractive Spanish flamenco teacher is moving in with them, Hylnur shows no more interest in the ...  Read the complete review

Iceland's capital is the backdrop for this light, offbeat comedy. It's a cold godforsaken place where the characters seem to get very bored, and drink themselves into a stupor much of the time. And, one thing I would say... their houses seem to be extremely untidy! Hylner is the central character, in his late twenties, and still living at home with his Mum, spending time checking porn sites, and visiting the bars in the evenings. He reminds me quite a lot of Louis Theroux, for some reason. He's not especially a heroic person, a parka wearing, nerdy smoker/drinker who refuses to look for a job, and is on the depressive side, but, believe it or ...  Read the complete review

'101 Reykjavik' is an incredibly funny film. The narrative follows a thirty year old 'layabout' named Hilmir (Hilmir Snaer) living in Reykjavik, his main activities are going out and getting drunk, looking at porn on the internet and that's about it. Hilmir could be a contender for laziest person in the world. The man just wants to get through life without doing anything. When asked what he will do with his life he replies "I'll stay on the dole and when that runs out, I'll go onto my old age pension". Everything unravels in his cosy world when Hilmir's mother invites a Spanish friend to stay with them for Christmas and New ...  Read the complete review