The Box

The film tells the tale of a man named Kalli, a scruffy looking 30 year old, that lives in his brother’s garage. As he wakes up hung-over on the morning of his birthday. He finds to his surprise an over sized box in his living room. Inside the box is a very unusual birthday present from his brother Teitur. As Kalli opens the box, he discovers that the gift is a woman from East-Europe, that was mailed to him. As Kalli struggles to convince his brother that giving someone a mail-order bride on their birthday is not the right thing to do, he realizes what a sociopath his brother really is. And though he doesn’t want to admit it to himself, he too has some serious women issues and does not respect them as human beings. In the end the film shows how so many men treat women like objects. Although the film deals with serious issues it does so in a light and absurd way so the laughs are plenty and never far between.

Directed by Helgi Jóhannsson, Halldór Ragnar Halldórsson, The Box leans on a strong ensemble — Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Stefán Hallur Stefánsson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2008.