Hope

At the centre of the film is a middle-aged couple, Anja (Andrea Bræin Hovig) and Tomas (Stellan Skarsgård) who had lived together in 20 years. The crisis develops when a mortal brain metastasis is detected in Anja. Up to this point, they got children together but both had lived independent lives on their own. Anja had been a successful ballet dancer and had felt she had taken the responsibility for the children herself while Tomas' energy had been occupied by his role as a leader of a theatre. Several times Anja had been on her way to separate from Tomas while Tomas said that he always wanted to stay with Anja. Thus, their relationship did not seem to have been much alive. When Anja got her death sentence the core of their relationship was unveiled. For Tomas that was apparent not in is words but in his gaze on Anja. Neither was Tomas grief expressed in words but instead in his gaze on Anja. So their deep love was apparent. Due to the excellent performance of Anja and Tomas, I as a viewer I was able to sense their true relationship.