Beautiful Beings
Written and Directed by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
Starring Birgir Dagur Bjarkason, Áskell Einar Pálmason, Viktor Benóný Benediktsson
Runtime: 2 hours, 3 minutes
Available VOD on April 25th

by Joe Carlough, Staff Writer

CW: Sexual assault, child abuse, physical violence

Beautiful Beings is a delicate and brutal Icelandic film about the deep, spiritual connection a boy can have with his friends as a teenager, and the complicated relationships that must be navigated as he grows. The kind of friendships in which love and affection bleed into disgust and fear, the heightened and passionate emotions–not to mention the pain–of growing up. I found the experience of watching Beautiful Beings to be as emotionally diverse as the experience of remembering my own youth. It’s a film I heartily endorse, so long as you currently have the emotional fortitude to survive the chaos. 

Early in the film, we’re introduced to the core group of friends: Konni, the group’s named leader, nicknamed “The Animal” because of his reckless actions and proclivity to react quickly and violently; Siggi, the so-called “weird one,” often in the crosshairs of the boys’ teasing; Addi, our protagonist throughout the film, a sensitive and intelligent boy often finding himself fighting against his morals because of his loyalty to Konni. Addi is the only one who has any real influence over Konni, and he emerges as the true leader of the group, pushing forward with empathy, tact, and a newly-discovered heightened ability to sense the vibe in the room and to dream future events. Lastly we have Balli, the local outcast often bullied because he’s meek and from a poor family. The other boys adopt Balli into their group, offering him a chance to mature and thrive in the protection of others. 

The film follows Addi’s psychic powers as he begins to follow in his mother’s footsteps, seeing auras, faint whispers of spirits, and dreams that foretell the future. Writer/director Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson crafted this character masterfully, letting the boy enjoy nearly full independence after school while never letting us forget that he’s still a teenager. There’s something almost heartbreaking about juxtaposing scenes of he and Konni viciously attacking another group of boys over a small feud (Konni once “swapped spit” with the girlfriend of one of that group’s members) with scenes of Addi being woken up by his mother in his family home bedroom, adorned with toys, homework, and other personal effects, Pink Floyd and Björk posters hung carefully on the walls. The boys act within the messy jurisdiction of their own morals, deciding amongst themselves who deserves physical repercussions and when to simply let something go. Their constant teasing flourishes among other, more contemplative periods: a swift punch to the stomach is often enough followed by a quiet moment lying in each others’ arms, a beautiful portrayal of the confusing and charged tenderness of youth.

Beautiful Beings is driven by precision directing from Guðmundsson in what is only his second feature film, and by the incredibly strong performances from the group of up-and-coming actors. Each scene exists with intent, a real feat in a movie that clocks in at just over two hours. I was particularly drawn in by the ever changing Reykjavík backdrops that the boys found themselves in throughout the film; the graffiti often predicting the chaos to come while quiet reflections in front of building-wide murals give the characters–and the viewer–a chance to breathe. Even in its most chaotic, brutal, and emotionally-charged scenes, the direction is given with real decisiveness, each moment of each scene given a chance to be absorbed, as though you’re there with the boys, making a hundred small decisions while almost frozen by fear before exploding out with adrenaline. 

Beautiful Beings is a film that demands your full attention, and rewards you after each scene, the violence and tension punctuated by humor and heartfelt narrative. As much a movie about the unpredictable nature of youth as it is about breaking free from generational trauma, Beautiful Beings is a must-watch–just make sure you’re ready for it, you’ll likely need to make space for your own reflection and to process what you’ve just watched.