THE SLINGSHOT
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1994 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule review: This is the story of a very bright
boy growing up in Stockholm early this century. The
Socialist activism of both his parents and the fact his
mother is Jewish make him the butt of bullying from all
directions. Still he manages to survive and bounce
back. Rating: +2 (-4 to +4)
Roland is a boy growing up in Stockholm in the 1920s (or so) with just about everything going against him. His father is a Socialist, his mother is a Russian Jew fighting an illegal battle for family planning. Roland's father is an autocrat with little empathy for the boy. Roland's teachers are anti-Semitic and anti-Socialist and have little use for the boy except as a bad example and as a target for occasional sadistic corporal punishment. Roland's schoolmates cheat, exploit, and play cruel tricks on young Roland. And in spite of all this, Roland has an irrepressible spirit. He sometimes does fight back, but chooses his fights where he thinks they will do the most good. He also has an ingenious and a creative mind. The story always has the feel of an autobiography of somebody who achieved something great later in life. In fact, it is the adaptation of a semi- autobiographical novel by Roland Schutt, so we know he at least became a novelist. The book was adapted for the screen and directed by Ake Sandgren.
THE SLINGSHOT takes its title from one of many applications young Roland finds for the condoms that his mother illegally distributes. Without understanding the actual purpose for the devices, he is able to see in them and improvise several unexpected uses, each only getting him into deeper trouble. One keeps expecting somebody to notice the genius of the ten-year-old, much as the boy comes to be appreciated in MY LIFE AS A DOG, but this is not a film with simple answers and obvious scenes. Roland's rewards will be far more abstract and not so dependent on others.
Jesper Salen stars as Roland and manages a better performance with more depth than many better-recognized actors in this country give. Many actors his age just read lines and go through some motions for the camera. Jesper's acting is intelligent and convincing. You always have a feeling that there really are intelligent mental processes behind his actions. Stallen Skarsgard plays Fritiof, the father who thinks himself a great liberal thinker but who runs his family like a despot.
While the film leaves the character of Zipa (Basia Frydman) at the stereotypical loving mother level, we do get to know a lot more of Roland's father. He is harsh and demanding of his sons. He is determined not to let a spinal condition, which is slowly taking away his ability to walk, undermine his control on his family. He is a walking (or nearly so) contradiction trying to hold on to some of the values of the past while trying to change the social order of his country. He despises the government while envying the trappings of being the king--trappings that he gets a chance to sample for himself.
Roland is not a victim of the Holocaust and he lives in a country not generally associated with discrimination and bigotry. But the prejudice he faces is clearly a major part of forming his character and his ability to remain strong and to rebound still makes for a moving story which I give a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
mark.leeper@att.com
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