The youth movie Comedy Queen , which has been shown in Dutch cinemas sincethis week, is about thirteen-year-old Sasha, who lost her mother to suicide.Since then she lives by four rules of survival: cut your hair, don’t readbooks, never care for anything living and become a comedian. The teenager doeseverything in her power to make her father laugh again.
de Volkskrant – four stars
“Birthday after birthday, Sasha asked for a dog. Now, at thirteen, it’sfinally here. Dad and grandma watch with glee as she opens the box with thepuppy’s photo. Then they don’t understand it when Sasha is having dinner.becomes terribly angry, precisely because of that one birthday present.”
“One of the many achievements of Comedy Queen (…) is that as a spectator youdo understand why Sasha (Sigrid Johnson) is acting this way. And that at thesame time you feel how painful it must be for dad Abbe (Oscar Töringe) not tobe able to get through to his daughter, just now that they need each othermore than ever.”
“Incredibly clever, how protagonist Johnson (…) drags you into Sasha’ssurvival strategy, while desperation is lurking. And how she continues toshine despite everything, just like the whole film: not a moment is lost_Comedy Queen_ his glowing, sweet look on the characters, even if the sadnesscan’t go away for a long time.”
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Het Parool – no stars
Based on the book of the same name by Jenny Jägerfeld Comedy Queen is a filmabout mourning, about not being able to laugh or not being able to cry. Sashahasn’t seen her father (beautifully subdued played by Oscar Töringe) smilesince her mother’s death. She saw and heard him cry. On the floor in thehallway, in the bathroom with the door closed. And crying is exactly whatSasha hasn’t done yet. Don’t want to do. Because mom often cried too.”
“The Swedish director Sanna Lenken knows how to weave the heavy theme throughthis film in a credible way by consistently choosing the experience of thechild. Just as humor is a weapon against pain for Sasha, the film alsoregularly chooses a light-hearted tone, which seriousness seldom undermines.”
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Fidelity – five stars
“Lenken takes the time to let us take a look at this creative process: findinginspiration in human existence, looking for words, working towards a punchline. And looking for boundaries: are you allowed to laugh at the expense ofothers? It is precisely those artistic steps that the young to help a teenagerin a complicated emotional process. Mourning is not just sadness. In a spokenletter to her mother, anger is also released. And guilt. There comes a momentwhen Sasha is screaming under a magnolia tree.”
“With her fine group of actors and with sharply written dialogues, Lenkenmanages to find an admirable balance between seriousness and lightness,poignant memories and cheerfulness. Chronic depression is a theme, but teenagegiggles are also allowed. People can jump out of their skin, but withcelebrating your birthday is also important.”
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NRC – four stars
Just like in her debut My Skinny Sister , about the eating disorder of ayoung top athlete, Lenken effortlessly carries the audience along while hermain character tries to give space to the emptiness. “The best jokes are aboutthe pain inside yourself,” a professional stand-up comedian advises the girl.Comedy Queen fits in a rich tradition of Scandinavian youth films that don’tshy away from struggles in life or make heavy themes more beautiful than theyare.”
Leading actor Sigrid Johnson is remarkable as Sasha, who, behind her grimsmile and provocative look, is weighed down by a tsunami of emotions: fromanger to uncertainty, from sadness to success. The film transcends thepredicate ‘youth film’: it is a sincere, warm-blooded drama from which viewersof all ages can draw hope, comfort and lessons.”
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