An action-driven love story about a young couple who become drug dealers in Reykjavik, but want nothing more than to get away and start a new life. When they decide to make a go for it with stolen narcotics from an infamous drug lord, their hopes and dreams begin to crumble.
Telma Huld Jóhannesdóttir as Olivia or “Loa,” and Hansen Eagle as Oliver, or “Oli,” tear up the screen in “From Iceland to Eden.” Beginning with the very first frames, the film takes off with gleeful abandon. Across its brief 88-minute runtime, the action and angst remain highly engaging throughout.
As the opening credits roll, Oli runs through the streets and around buildings at night, as squad cars with sirens and lights blazing attempt to corner the young lad. Questions abound, including why he only wears a bath towel wrapped around his waist. However, while Oli simply hopes to evade the police, his soon-to-be acquaintance and lover, Loa, seeks to shake off a troubled past. The two meet under stressful circumstances – to say the least – and proceed from there.
Eagle as Oli bears more than a passing resemblance to Ethan Hawke, which may make his character accessible to American audiences. Similarly, his co-star Jóhannesdóttir also provides a compelling screen presence. Their bohemian existence in Reykjavik could easily have been lifted from urban settings in any developed country, including the U.S.
With both of them suddenly and unexpectedly homeless, Oli and Loa must depend on the kindness of a friend, chaffed by previous encounters. They find their way to the apartment of Ronni (Gunnar Marís) and Gunni (Einar Viðar G. Thoroddsen), two reluctant participants in Oli and Loa’s adventure. Ronni comically berates Gunni for letting the couple into their house, mostly because Loa owes him money. Nonetheless, the prospect of pecuniary reward wins the day. The two gay men hope to retire in Cuba, where a modest nest egg will allow them to live cheap and comfortably, provided they find a way to acquire sufficient funds. The timelessly reliable motivations of avarice invariably drive the protagonists forward onto their next exploit.
Mark Twain once said that the key to good storytelling is to leave out everything that does not advance the action or reveal character. In that regard, “From Iceland to Eden” accomplishes this objective and more. While some of the plot elements cover familiar territory, the energy infused in nearly every scene keeps the outing interesting, supplying unpredictable twists at every turn. Further, though I often remain wary of shaky camera effects, here the hand-held shots enhance the urgency of the story without calling attention to themselves.
This year’s Academy Awards ceremony served notice to audiences that foreign films frequently have much to offer – despite the fact that many fine low-budget productions remain criminally underrated. In this instance, “From Iceland to Eden,” by writer and director Snævar Sölvason, conveys one more such hidden gem, sure to satisfy discriminating viewers from any country.
Available on Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming on Amazon and Vimeo April 7th
