Lamb
The land belongs to Maria (Noomi Rapace) and her partner, Ingvar (Hilmir Snær Guðnason), hard-working Icelandic farmers who are comfortable in silence, a state perhaps triggered by a tragedy in their past.
Lamb develops into an engaging exploration of nature versus man. The film quietly follows the couple in their day-to-day routines of farm chores and minimal conversation. Following the end of winter, their sheepdog alerts them to the sheep-shed, where they discover a newly born lamb which decide to adopt. They call her Ada.
The director whose grandparents were Icelandic sheep farmers, has a feel for the landscape, along with cinematographer Eli Arenson, who creates stark and beautiful spaces. In the final act, the film enters more creepy territory. Rapace’s compelling performance as the new mother striving hard to build a happy life keeps the content engaging.
With a brilliant performance from Noomi Rapace, Lamb is full of interesting ideas and concepts with great filmmaking and a unique tone of voice. Recommended.
The film is available on MUBI, and various streaming platforms.
