Play (2011) movie poster

Play

2011 · 118 min · Director: Ruben Östlund

Play (2011) is a crime drama, directed by Ruben Östlund. It stars Anas Abdirahman and Sebastian Blyckert. The film is based on a true story. The 118-minute film holds an audience score of 6.8/10.

Cast
A Anas Abdirahman S Sebastian Blyckert Y Yannick Diakité Kevin Vaz Kevin Vaz J John Ortiz A Abdiaziz Hilowle

What Play Is About

A Swedish film set in Gothenburg. Three boys are sitting in a shopping centre. They have phones. A group comes over. Five boys, all about their age. One starts talking. He wants to see a phone. Then he tells a story. His brother's phone was stolen and this one looks like it. They will have to take it to the brother to be shown. From there the film is a story of walking. Eight boys walk through the city. There is no violence at all. Nobody hits anybody and nobody is threatened. There is only talk. Constantly. The group moves the boys from place to place. A tram, a park, a wood. Leaving is possible at every step. Nobody holds them. But they do not go. What the narrative is interested in is not robbery but politeness: its idea is that the three stay in order not to seem rude, and that their politeness is exactly what is being used. There are adults around them. On the tram, in the street, in the park. Nobody intervenes. One person asks, takes the answer, and moves on. Ruben Östlund's method is evident. The camera is fixed, the takes long, there is no cutting, and the event is often far from the centre of the frame. Some scenes are single takes lasting minutes. There is a side line inside the narrative. An unattended cradle stands on a train and the film keeps returning to it. That line connects to nothing. The events are real. Police records show a group of boys carried out dozens of robberies by the same method in Gothenburg between 2006 and 2008, and the script rests on those files. The film started an argument about racism in Sweden. That the boys carrying out the robbery are Black and the targets white was criticised; Östlund said that was the situation in the records. Anas Abdirahman, Sebastian Blyckert, Yannick Diakité and Kevin Vaz are in the cast. Who it is for: anyone who likes Scandinavian cinema and uncomfortable social experiments. Who it is not for: anyone looking for distance; the narrative deliberately leaves the viewer in the position of a bystander, and that position is exactly what the film criticises.

How did this film move you?

Trailer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Play about?

A Swedish film set in Gothenburg. Three boys are sitting in a shopping centre.

Where can I watch Play?

Play is available to watch on digital platforms such as Criterion Channel. Current rent and buy options are listed in the "Where to Watch" section on this page.

How long is Play?

Play runs for 118 minutes (1h 58m).

When did Play come out?

Play was released in 2011.

Who directed Play?

Play was directed by Ruben Östlund.

Who stars in Play?

Play stars Anas Abdirahman, Sebastian Blyckert, Yannick Diakité, Kevin Vaz.

What is Play's rating?

Play holds 7.1/10 on IMDb and 6.8/10 on TMDB. Its Pulse Score is 72 out of 100.

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