nick’s review published on Letterboxd:
Bergman brought fun, heartbreaks, and magical realism to this giant family saga. As one of Bergman's more accessible efforts, Fanny and Alexander is a gorgeous coming-of-age journey that continues Bergman's exploration of religion, humanity, and family, and its absolute resolve to do this story justice is just admirable.
Told from the perspective of Alexander, a young boy from a large rich family, Fanny and Alexander chronicles the lives of the loving Ekdahl family, focusing mostly on Alexander's own life. One has to marvel at the witty examination of the duality of the script, where conflicts between reality and imagination, and between faith and humanity, serve as the central prop of this personal odyssey. The retro, exquisite cinematography is simply mesmerizing from Bergman's longtime collaborator Sven Nykvist.
I also appreciate how this approaches death and grief in a highly personal, sentimental way that's not typical of Bergman, but still a welcome change. Its stifling loneliness, depression, and melancholia haunt not only the characters, but also the audience, and thankfully Bergman settled for a lighter outlet so this could properly qualify as an alternative Christmas movie. Highly recommended.
(This review is for the 3-hour version.)
