Free Range - Ballad on Approving of the World

I kept wondering why I should even bother watching a film by someone I initially disliked, especially when my aversion to them only deepened over time. In the end, I couldn't figure it out, but what I appreciate about Free Range - Ballad on Approving of the World is that it has an absolutely fantastic musical aspect that is truly worth listening to. (09/01/2017)

The main character was so unsympathetic to me right from the beginning that I hesitated to finish it. A few things caught my attention, like the situational humor that occasionally broke through the negative baggage to the surface. Upon closer observation, I found that many of Fred's views on the world were at least thought-provoking. Not entirely bad deductions were creeping out of him, amid all of life's mess. The quality of this intellectually depressing work is aided by the almost brilliant soundtrack, where individual songs unmistakably complement the action or momentary visual creations. Perhaps the scene that got me the most in this respect was the only positive one when the camera follows the central couple in a pleasant mood on a fairground ride to the sounds of an upbeat song by Cat Stevens. Even the ending itself, when the horse rides in slow motion through the dreamscape, symbolically representing the main character's freedom or unrestraint, did not feel completely pessimistic. I must also mention the perfectly arranged song "Forever Young," as it suited the film well. I’m giving an extra star for the almost perfect blending of the visuals with the music because I haven't felt something this intensely in any film for a long time. (14/05/2020)