To Go Ashore

You don't get too many Swedish (or Scandinavian for that matter) comedies, so I was curious to see how To Go Ashore would turn out. The film was advertised as an absurd comedy (and that it is), sadly, the performances are pretty horrendous and the comedy itself is rather one note. Watching this, it's not difficult to understand why there aren't more comedies being produced over there.

A group of friends is having a party on a small island off the coast of Stockholm. One half (carrying all the food) is already on the island, the other half (carrying the alcohol) is stuck on a little boat. Getting the boat ashore is proving a lot harder than expected, and an unfriendly neighbor on the island isn't making things any easier either.

The premise is pretty absurd, director Danielsson isn't afraid to milk it for all it's worth. The actors aren't very funny though, the gags are pretty childish, and it all feels very by the numbers, save maybe one or two inspired moments. A comedy needs more than an intriguing premise, which is all To Go Ashore really has to offer.