Stronger (2015)

• 80%
• 2015
• Claes Lilja

A contemporary adaptation of the classic play, The Stronger, by August Strindberg, set in contemporary L.A. and features two men in the lead roles traditionally played by women. It adds many layers of intricacy to a startlingly simple, yet famously complex story. It consists entirely of a single conversation between two very handsome actors who run into one another by chance in a West Hollywood bar on Christmas Eve. One of them doesn't even speak, yet manages to say volumes as they engage in a psychological wrestling match to see who is stronger. The film lends itself to many layers of interpretation and although it takes only 12 minutes to watch, one can easily spend hours thinking about it afterward.