Icelandic high culture has always been obsessed with men and their stories. Most often the obsession is about peculiar men with strong convictions (see the novel Sjálfstætt Fólk and the film Land og Synir for important examples). In later years, the focus has been old men. Either silent or obnoxious, or both (see Eldfjall and Felix & Klara).
Missir, or Epilogues, joins the long list of Icelandic media where where an old man has changes forced upon him and/or goes on a journey to find meaning (other Icelandic movies from the past three years are about that are: Snerting, Tilverur, and Á Ferð með Mömmu).
It’s about an unnamed man who loses his wife. The man is portrayed by Þorsteinn Gunnarsson who I think has the Icelandic record for playing the father/father-in-law of main characters in films and TV shows. His best friend is the always reliable Sigurður Sigurjónsson and actress Guðrún Gísladóttir is the deceased wife.
After the wife is cremated and the man starts mixing the ashes with water and drinks them. When he sips, he recalls memories of his late wife. Those scenes gives us the most insight into the man’s psyche (the rest of the film really doesn’t). When it’s just him, the film is desaturated and in 4:3 aspect ratio (like old TVs). While she is on the screen the colours go up to 11 and turns into a widescreen. Interpretation: without her his life is pointless, flat and dull.
That can also be said about the film itself. Like his wife, it’s devoid of life unless Siggi Sigurjóns is on screen. That’s not the fault of Þorsteinn, he is fantastic as always and is doing a lot with the little he is given. The whole endeavour just seems pointless, flat and dull.
Fun fact: Cremation ashes aren’t ashes; it’s crushed dry bones. Ashes are mostly phosphate and calcium and are not a fertilizer. In fact, cremation ashes kill plants because it has the same pH level as bleach and a whole lot of salt. It’s not toxic to humans to ingest, but the salt level wasn’t helping the old man’s blood pressure.
