Coriolanus: A Stubborn Roman with a Modern Pulse

If I had a krone every time a movie made me question my own stubbornness, I’d probably have enough to buy a good fika. Ralph Fiennes brings to life this old Shakespearean tale set in modern times with enough grit you’ll want to clean your television screen afterwards.

Now, as you may know, Fiennes isn’t just starring in this film as the inflexible Coriolanus, he’s in the director’s seat too. That’s like trying to juggle meatballs while eating your moose stew, and somehow he pulls it off. Also, there’s Gerard Butler – yes, our very own Spartan hero – playing Tullus Aufidius. It’s a bit funny seeing him drop the glistening armor for more… let’s say earthy surroundings. They shout, they glare, they brawl; it makes you think about how often we Swedes quietly mumble our disapproval instead of going full Roman.

One of my first theatre experiences was actually with Shakespeare, albeit far less intense – if you can believe a kiddie troop putting on Macbeth in a small town auditorium. Anyway, “Coriolanus” feels like that memory exploded, where the echoes of old speeches hit the sharp corners of today’s world. You can hear the timeless beat of power and pride pulsating through every scene.

Every time Fiennes and Butler exchange words, it’s like they’re exchanging blows with broadswords, only with more spit flying. Vanessa Redgrave, playing Coriolanus’ shrewd mother, Volumnia, commands attention with a mere lift of her eyebrow. These actors weave the narrative with such fiery deftness that I almost miss the cold, grey drizzle outside my window – a bittersweet reminder of my own comfort in occasionally dodging confrontation.

If there’s a political statement (and there probably is), I kind of lost it amidst the shouting. But the themes of pride, politics, and betrayal are ripe for the plucking, like wild berries in the Swedish summer.

And hey, it turns Shakespeare into an action-packed war zone. What’s not to love about that? So maybe give it a watch and let yourself get wrapped up in the madness that is “Coriolanus”, even if it means shedding some of that resolute Swedish calm.

Check the trailer below