The bond between father and son can be a special one. Some are good, some not so much but the bond between son Filip Hammar (self) and father Lars Hammar (self) is extraordinary. When Filip sees his father slipping into the malaise of late life he sees himself as having to do something about it. This Swedish documentary film is a family affair and stars the real-life Hammar family, Filip, Lars and his wife Tina.
Filip and his friend Fredrik Wikingsson (self) plan an elaborate road trip to help Lars rekindle his love for life. This includes buying an old Citroen 4 car previously used in family trips and retrace the journey from Sweden to Lars’ favourite spot on earth along the coast in France. Things do not start well.
After an initial reluctance to hit the road, Lars agrees but soon suffers a fall and becomes hospitalised with a broken bone. This puts the trip on hold but it eventually resumes. Due to the film being based on real people, it is filled with actual photos and video footage of the family during their younger years. This divulges information on how much Lars loved life and how much he has slipped.
The story is told in flashbacks and reproductions of moments held dear by the participants and they are very moving. The recovery of Lars is also told in small increments and this makes it much more emotionally impactful. It also makes it easier to root for his resurgence. The Last Journey is a touching examination of the love between father and son and a great example of the extraordinary moments found in even the most ordinary of lives.
Rob Hudson
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