Rams Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Rams Blu-ray Movie Review

I love ewe.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 28, 2016

There’s a whole subgenre of risque jokes involving farmers and sheep, and on one level, Rams might be thought as trafficking in some of the same general ambience, especially since at least some of the farmers shown in the film are downright entranced with their animals, going so far as to hug and/or kiss them. Rams is a slow, intimate film with the unusual setting of Iceland, and the at least somewhat “exotic” context of shepherding, but it ultimately is about something virtually everyone everywhere will be acquainted with: family dysfunctions, notably that old bugaboo, sibling rivalry. The film’s two main characters are brothers Gummi (Sigurður Sigurjónsson), a quiet, introspective type, and Kiddi (Theodór Júlíusson), more of a rabble rouser who has at best a “drinking problem”, and perhaps at worst incipient alcoholism. The two brothers have been estranged for decades, though in one of the cruel ironies of the film’s setting, that disruption in the family dynamic only increases an already established isolation, despite the fact that the brothers are in actuality neighbors. When a ravaging disease called scrapie (kind of the sheep equivalent of mad cow disease) infects herds across the Icelandic valley where the two brothers live, the authorities decree that all sheep (who haven’t already succumbed to the disease) must be euthanized. That leads to some unexpected developments in a film that is weirdly whimsical but which is also grounded in some very authentic feeling human emotions. Rams won the 2015 Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes, though it did not qualify for the final list of Academy Award nominees for Best Foreign Language Film.

Iceland has provided locations for scores of films, though it’s notable that relatively few of them really exploit the island nation as a setting. That’s one of the central ways in which Rams virtually instantly establishes an incredibly unique identity. There’s a stark, barren quality to the landscape, though an equal if rugged beauty of craggy hills and shimmering trees. It’s a completely distinctive “look”, and one which more than capably establishes the frigid emotional tenor that exists between the two brothers. The simplicity of the brothers’ agrarian lifestyle is also documented in the film’s early going, and aside from a few apparent “modern” conveniences, one could almost imagine this story taking place decades or perhaps even centuries ago.

Gummi and Kiddi have been competing with each other for untold years to determine who has the best flock, something that is actually “officially” recognized with an annual award. When Kiddi emerges triumphant, it probably exacerbates an already existing wound between the siblings, but when Gummi realizes that one of Kiddi’s prized herd probably has scrapie, things start spiraling out of control. Health officials are understandably alarmed and insist that all animals need to be put to death, but Kiddi assumes that the chaos is simply the result of Gummi’s long festering resentment of his brother.

The brothers’ reactions to governmental decrees are expectedly disparate, though in one of the film’s curious and yet authentic feeling developments, the two siblings end up banding together (if not exactly “bonding” in a traditional sense), when Gummi’s attempts to save at least few of his flock lead to desperate measures. Rams wends its way through what is in essence a shaggy dog (sheep?) story, building its story blocks out of finely observed minutiae instead of huge plot arcs. Much like the landscape it details, Rams is an intentionally sparse film that is nonetheless filled with piquant observations about human behavior, especially that between long disgruntled relatives.

One of the most remarkable things about Rams is how it combines some devastating emotional content with a much more lighthearted element. When scrapie is detected and the health officials come calling, Gummi’s reaction especially is heart rending, since it’s obvious that this bachelor farmer has little “life” outside of his flock. However, there are what amount to running gags interspersed throughout the film, including a series of interstitial scenes with Gummi attempting to find a moment of repose in his bathroom, usually to no avail. There's also a fun twist on "carrier pigeons" that involves a sheep dog. Writer-director Grímur Hákonarson navigates this potentially treacherous tonal terrain with grace and even nuance, establishing a lifetime of interconnectedness (albeit one fraught with disruption) with a modicum of clues involving body language and furtive glances.

As stunning as the physical production here is (despite its intentionally hardscrabble appearance), what elevates Rams consistently is the finely tuned work of Sigurjónsson and Júlíusson. As alluded to above, this is a film that can depend as much on non verbal cues as on any actual dialogue, and these two wonderful actors fully inhabit characters who are inherently emotionally distant and therefore not that prone to “conversing”, at least not in a traditional sense. Rams is a film filled with space—the broad outdoors environment of an autumnal (and eventually wintry) Iceland, as well as the distance between two brothers who finally realize that human contact can be as meaningful as that between a shepherd and his flock.

Rams Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Rams is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Cohen Media Group with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.38:1. The IMDb lists this as having been digitally shot with the Arri Alexa, and the film has the generally sharp but smooth appearance that this technology typically affords. The palette is intentionally subdued virtually the entire running time of the film, with only slight pops of elements like (not very) green trees offering a respite from what is in essence an almost monochromatic landscape. Despite the lack of any really vivid hues for the bulk of the film, detail is often quite striking, especially in "little" aspects like the fine hairs sticking out of long used sweaters or even the fluff of the sheeps' coats. I personally wished for a bit more contrast, especially in some of the murkier interior moments, where things can look relatively flat and less detailed. As tends to be the case with Cohen releases, there are no compression or authoring anomalies to warrant concern.

Rams Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

And. . .we're back, ladies and gentlemen! After a series of perplexing releases where Cohen took a step backward into lossy audio, Rams delivers an elegant and understated sonic experience courtesy of a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track (in Icelandic with optional English subtitles). This is a sound mix that is deliberately spacious, one that creates immersion subtly with well placed ambient environmental effects, as well as offering a nice spill in the side and rear channels when Atli Örvarsson's elegiac score plays. Dialogue, score and sound effects are all rendered cleanly and clearly, with smart prioritization and no problems of any kind.

Rams Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Director Grímur Hákonarson (1080p; 4:44)


• "Wrestling", a short film by director Grímur Hákonarson (1080p; 22:23)


• Theatrical Trailer (1080p; 2:06)

Rams Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Though they're manifestly different in style, content and even tone, some aspects of Rams reminded me of another film from the far north, Sweden's The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, if only due to an odd combination of pathos and humor and an emphasis on character and locale that defy traditional ideas of a three act structure. Rams is an intentionally quiet, intimate affair that creates substantial emotional impact as it moves slowly but inexorably toward its bittersweet conclusion. The film is remarkable both for its finely tuned depiction of a place most people are unfamiliar with, as well as for the impeccable performances of its two lead actors. Technical merits are generally strong, and Rams comes Highly recommended.