October Gale: A Stormy Ride of Ambivalence

So, I watched “October Gale” the other day, a film directed by Ruba Nadda and starring Patricia Clarkson and Scott Speedman. The title rolls off your tongue like “Oktoberstormen” – poetic, eh? It’s one of those films that makes you remember the crisp autumn air and those dark clouds over Vänern.

Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. Clarkson is a gem, like finding a semla left just for you, and she shines even in this tense flick that’s more brooding than an Ingmar Bergman monologue on a gloomy winter’s day. Speedman? He’s alright, like finding a decent herring on a smörgåsbord. But these two together made me reminisce about those stormy nights at our summer cabin in the Skärgården, huddled in against the wind.

The plot? Well, it’s as twisty as a Stockholm backstreet in Gamla Stan. Clarkson’s character, widowed and alone on an island, encounters a stranger during a storm. It’s atmospheric, capturing the raw, untamed force of nature that Swedish filmmakers often admire. But sometimes, it felt like the gale was more interesting than the human drama unfolding. A bit like watching a moose crossing the road – you know it’s fascinating, yet you’re not sure why you’re so engrossed.

The film’s pace is like waiting for the right Bäckström reference to flow into a conversation. Slow, chill—but sometimes slow can be exasperating, like a snail race across your dinner table. The suspense is there, no doubt, and the cinematography? Top-notch! The island setting is breathtaking, like those postcard-perfect views over Dalarna’s lakes. But somehow, it lacked a punch, something to drive the narrative storm into a heart-thumping riding into an emotional crescendo. Maybe I missed the soul of it, or maybe it’s just the subtle Swedish realism in me finding the gaps.

In all its windswept glory, “October Gale” is like an existential philosophical chat over fika. A blustery reflection on love, loss, and survival, drifted over with a sprinkle of drama and cloudy skies. I’d say, put on a kanelbulle, brew a strong coffee, and give it a go—when you’re ready for an introspective dive. And after

Check the trailer below