About Endlessness

A truly singular piece of work, About Endlessness consists of mostly-standalone vignettes covering topics as varied (and profound) as shame, loneliness, and death. Filmmaker Roy Andersson delivers an often stunning cinematic experience that benefits substantially from his painterly eye for visuals, as virtually every single shot – each vignette is a static, single take – boasts a compositional sense that’s generally nothing short of jaw-dropping (ie any of these sequences could easily be printed out and framed). More than that, though, About Endlessness succeeds as an emotionally-charged examination of humanity and all that entails (eg a scene involving a woman at a train station packs an almost astonishingly potent punch) – as Andersson certainly isn’t afraid to explore some seriously dark territory here (eg the results of an instantly-regretted honor killing). And while the picture does run of steam a little in its final stretch, About Endlessness has long-since cemented its place as a memorable and downright masterful effort from a truly exceptional filmmaker.

***1/2 out of ****