Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

A Hole in My Heart Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 30, 2023

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Arrow Video's The Lukas Moodysson Collection.

When The New York Times is touting someone as "Sweden's most praised filmmaker since Ingmar Bergman", attention should probably be paid, even if some reading that description and then looking at the name of its referent might still be asking, "Lukas who?" Lukas Moodysson achieved a fair degree of success right out of the gate with his first feature Show Me Love (which had a somewhat more visceral original title, as can be seen on the poster I've included as the "cover image" for that individual listing), but unlike some "overnight successes", he has never seemed content to rest on his laurels, and has frequently thrown caution at least partially to the wind, resulting in a rather audacious array of films that vary from bright and breezy to decidedly dark, dour and depressing (maybe that's where the Bergman angle might be most relevant, and, yes, that's said in jest, at least kind of). Arrow Video has now aggregated a really appealing collection of seven Moodysson films, along with the label's usual penchant for some outstanding supplemental material, handsome packaging and non disc swag.

A Hole in My Heart is probably the most controversial film in the Lukas Moodysson set, and for those unacquainted with this very experimental piece, suffice it to say it might be seen as a kind of completely gonzo combo platter of elements found in offerings as disparate as A Serbian Film and X. Much as with those two linked films, A Hole in My Heart deals with pornography, in this case probably a bit more like X than A Serbian Film, in that the "story" here (and that is most definitely a relative term, given the presentational excesses on display which kind of defy the idea of a traditional narrative) involves an amateur porn producer trying to film a production in his apartment, where his teenaged son also happens to be in residence.

Even that brief summary may hint at a screenplay that is more plot driven than this finished film ends up being, but this is one way or the other another "proof positive" that Moodysson hasn't been shy about being a provocateur. It's kind of interesting to note in that regard how his tendencies toward pushing the envelope were kind of understated if still quite prevalent in both Show Me Love and Together, albeit in both of those films perhaps ameliorated at least somewhat by flashes of humor and a general breeziness to the storytelling despite any occasional traumas that might intrude. Things got decidedly darker with Lilya 4-ever, though, and A Hole in My Heart is almost like a "hold my beer" moment for Moodysson, as if he is saying vis a vis Lilya 4-ever, "You thought that was difficult to watch?"

I'm frankly not sure this film actually works in any meaningful way, and there are certain depictions here that seem designed only to, well, provoke reactions of shock and/or disgust. In that way the production is probably more like A Serbian Film than X.

A Hole in My Heart Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

A Hole in My Heart is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. Arrow lumps all of the films together on their page devoted to the transfers in the hardcover book included with this set, as follows:

All seven films in this collection are presented in their original aspect ratios (1.85:1 for Fucking Åmål, Lilya 4-Ever, Container, and We Are the Best!; 1.66:1 for Together; 1.78:1 for A Hole in My Heart; and 2.35:1 for Mammoth) with their original 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo audio mixes. Container is presented with both Swedish and English narration options in both 5.1 and 2.0.

Fucking Åmål was restored in 2K by the Swedish Film Institute and approved by director Lukas Moodysson and cinematographer Ulf Brantås. The appearance of the film is the result of an unusual production process. It was shot on 16mm film prior to cutting and then to 35mm duplicate negative which was lit for the final screening copy. For the digital restoration, the original camera negative has been used as source material; this also meant that the optical printer work had to be cut and recreated.

Together was restored in 4K from the original camera negative by the Swedish Film Institute and approved by director Lukas Moodysson and cinematographer Ulf Brantås.

The high definition video masters for the other five films were supplied to Arrow Films by TrustNordisk in association with Memfis Film. Additional restoration work on the digital video master for Container was carried out by R3Store Studios, London.

A Hole in My Heart has the least "filmic" look of the offerings in the Moodysson set, for good reason: it was shot with DVCAMs, and I suspect that somewhere in the workflow it was interlaced, as there are remnants of combing artifacts that can be spotted. There's also some footage that looks like it may have been upscaled (see screenshot 2), perhaps from stock footage. The detail levels here therefore are understandably not at the same degree of precision seen in more traditional shot on film efforts or more contemporary digital captures. The relatively "low res" appearance probably only subliminally supports the kind of tawdry story on display. The palette is decently saturated but never really pops in any meaningful way.

A Hole in My Heart Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

A Hole in My Heart features DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 options in the original Swedish. This film also has the Moodysson staple of quite a bit of source cue underscoring, though perhaps not at the level heard in several of the other films in this set. With the bulk of the film taking place in rather claustrophobic confines, the difference between the surround and stereo tracks may in fact be mostly limited to the score, though. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

A Hole in My Heart Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

A Hole in My Heart shares a disc with Container, but after Choose Film is selected, this slate of supplements is accessible:

• Lukas Moodysson on A Hole in My Heart (HD; 15:17) continues Moodysson's conversation with Sarah Lutton.


• A Hole in My Second Heart (HD; 16:48) has behind the scenes footage of the filming.


• NFTS Masterclass with Lukas Moodysson 2004 (HD; 26:34) stems from a class hosted by the UK's National Film & Television School, after a screening of A Hole in My Heart. Whoever wrote the opening informational titles might want to use a spell checker going forward for help with spelling Kubrick (this was evidently funded in part by a Kubrick Fellowship).


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 00:48)


• Image Gallery (HD)

A Hole in My Heart Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As an example of Lukas Moodysson's versatility, A Hole in My Heart is notable. As an actual film it may be decidedly more problematic, and I'm frankly not sure exactly what Moodysson hoped to achieve with this bizarre effort. Technical merits vary from acceptable (video) to fine (audio), and as with the other discs in this set, the supplements are very enjoyable, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.