Helmer is a single farmer in his fifties who lives with and cares for his aged, bedridden father in countryside. His working days are marked by the visits of milk collector, a man of his own age for whom Helmer holds a secret fascination – a mutual need is evident but unspoken. One day Helmer decides to renovate the house, buying himself a new double bed and moving his father upstairs. His life gains even more momentum when adolescent farmhand Henk is hired to assist. Surprisingly, the young lad also finds Helmer attractive and a sexual tension soon starts building up. He attempts to be physical one night – the result of which changes Helmer's thoughts and desires. The young lad soon leaves the farm and the father soon dies. Henk has left, Helmer returns to his farming chores, and at his father's burial, the milk collector returns and we are left to wonder what will change.
Even though the film is excruciatingly slow and feels like nothing is happening, there is still some level of brooding and lingering quality to the film that made me want stick through the end to see what happens. I am not sure why Helmer never actions on his sexual needs when there is clearly intensity from both. What kind of guilt is he or the father dealing through? At some point we are told of a younger brother who died, but I am not sure I understood the whole back story very clearly. I guess the makers were going for some sort of examination and life and death and love and people you encounter n the life's journey, but is there a point or a message being told here; I am not sure. The performances and the mood and country life is spot on. The big problem here still is that whether people will have patience to sit through this film. (4.5/10)
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