Film Review: The Hypnosis
by Christine Riney

Ernst De Geer, Sweden, Norway, France 2023

A comedy of bad manners through the shedding of social norms. This film is about a couple working together to secure funding for a health app or so you think. It takes you on the journey of a young woman, Vera (Asta Kamma August), finding her voice. This is revealed very slowly one scene at a time. As it unfolds and, after a visit to a transformational hypnotherapist, all pretence of “civilised” behaviour goes out the window. You realise she has had very controlling people in her life and the freeing visit to the hypnotherapist throws open the door for her to do and say, well, some extraordinary things, leaving those around her reeling. Vera’s antics all take place at a conference with other entrepreneurs and potential funders including her partner, André (Herbert Nordrum), who is left confused and at a loss for what is happening. How he deals with it is as weird and fraught as Vera’s behaviour. But you have to love the ending, that’s all I can say, watch it to the end and let yourself laugh!