NORTHERN COMFORT

Iceland/UK, 2023, 97 minutes, Colour.

Lydia Leonard, Timothy Spall, Simon Manyonda, Ella Rumpf, Nick Blakely, Gina Bramhill, Rob Delaney, Emun Elliot, Sverrir Gudnasson.

Directed by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdssobn.

Northern Comfort is a film from Iceland, director, actors – but, a collaboration with the United Kingdom, especially for the cast.

At the core of this film, comic touches, serious themes, is the fear of flying. Which means the title is ironic.

The film opens with a test run, a group of fearful clients, hearty instructions by the staff, experiencing a simulation, relieved when it is over. Then, the training company offering a short flight in reality to test their overcoming of their fears. We are introduced to several characters to bring the drama to life, Lydia Leonard as Sarah, a competent businesswoman, pretending that she has had flights to Los Angeles when she has simply been at home, in a relationship with a man and his daughter. Timothy Spall is a military veteran but a popular writer. There is the influencer, Cocoa, Ella Rumpf, with her boyfriend, IT inventoSverrir Gudnasson. And there is the leader, having to take more responsibilities than usual, Charlie, Simon Manyonda.

As might be expected, the actual flight has all kinds of problems exacerbating the fear of flying. Then, they are stranded in Iceland, the plane needing repairs, put up at a hotel, the attempts to get away, Sarah encounters a drunken taxi driver and crash, Edward using military tactics to intimidate Charlie, the inventor encountering someone at a bar and discovering his sexual orientation. And Sarah is desperately trying to ring her boyfriend who is angry because he saw her embraced by Charlie, encouraging her misinterpreting it.

The way out, in fact, is a flight to Germany, overcoming some fears, getting home, confessing the truth, safe back on home ground.

1. The title and its irony is? Fear of flying? Nervous passengers? Test flights? Reality?
2. Iceland/UK collaboration? British perspectives? Nordic perspectives?
3. The British locations, the characters and their situations? The flights? The Iceland locations, visuals, the countryside, hotels? Musical score?
4. Initial test flight, the simulation, the passengers and their range, their fears, the experience? Olivia and her explanations? Charles and his support? The aftermath, the debriefing?
5. Sarah’s story, age, professional work, reputation? The relationship with Tom? His daughter? Her hopes? Her fear of flying, it her lies about going to Los Angeles, future bookings and her being trapped? The domestic scenes with Tom? Is discovering the truth? His reaction? Her desperate phone calls, explanations? His suspicions at the airport on seeing her embraced?
6. Edward, his military background, fiction writer, personality, briskly, fear of flying?
7. Coco, influence, glamorous? Satiric jibes at influences and the media? Anton, his cap, removing his cap, no hair? Scandinavian, self-important? His talent and developments? The relationship?
8. The delay is about the actual flight, to be brief, return? At the airport, some of the group anxious and pulling out? Charles by himself? His leadership, the mixups, eventual flight? The passengers, behaviour, no alcohol, Anton’s demands? The fears? The landing?
9. The further delays, information about the aircraft, the need for repairs, arguments? Going to the hotel? The interactions between the members of the group?
10. Sarah, desperation, the room, Charles, getting the taxi, the drunken driver, the crash, her coming back? Continued efforts to get out? The flirtatious pilot and the flight to Germany?
11. Edward, reaction to Charles, abducting him, tying him up?
12. Coco and Anton, the bar, the man with his come on, going to the room, the flirtation with Anton? His decision not to leave?
13. All the upsets in getting back to the airport, in time, the cargo plane, settling in?
14. The return home, the effect of the experience of Edward, and Sara, explanations and reconciliation?