The best films provide a perspective that you may never gain, letting you peek into the lives of people who are worlds away. SONS, directed by Gustav Möller, follows the complex, intertwined relationship between a guard and prisoner after the latter is transferred to a high-security prison.
SONS almost unfolds like a play – we, as the audience, rarely leave the confines of the prison, and the movie greatly benefits from the powerhouse performances of the guard, Sidse Babett Knudsen, and the prisoner, Sebastian Bull. Knudsen is able to project such a broad, realistic character; malicious yet pained, while Bull is the perfect foil, brutal yet exploitive.
SON only runs for an hour and a half, but the immense tension and subtle thrills make the movie fly by. More than a backdrop the character drama, the cinematography and set design are captivating; there’s an entire world created inside the prison.
I did leave SONS feeling a bit empty inside; it’s such a honest and insightful portrayal of humanity that you’re left rooting for both characters while simultaneously realizing how flawed they are – and ultimately, how complicated people and their relationships with each other can be.
SONS is an official selection of the 51st Seattle International Film Festival! It will play at SIFF Cinema Downtown at 9:15 PM on May 23 and at 1:45 PM on May 25. Escape to the Reel World by booking your tickets at siff.net/passes!
