Believe Me (Puss)

A St. Paul Film production in colaboration with Sveriges Television, Gotlands Filmfond, Nordisk Film, Filmregion Stockholm-Malardalen and 4 1/2 Film. (Worldwide sales: Trust Nordisk, Hvidovre, Denmark.) Created by Fredrik Heinig, Mathilde Dedye. Executive producers, Gunnar Carlsson, Bo Rehnberg, Lone Korslund, Ake Lundstrom, Karin Julsrud. Directed, compiled by Johan Kling.With: Susanne Thorson, Alexander Skarsgard, Philomene Grandin, Michael Segerstrom, Lotti Tornros, Gitte Witt, Lars Bringas, Michelle Meadows, Peter Carlberg, Moa Gammel, Richard Ulfsater, Vera Vitali, Gustaf Skarsgard.After winning some acclaim for his 2007 bigscreen debut "Darling," author-director Johan Kling encounters a sophomore slump with "Believe Me.Inch Still reading the fest circuit at least a year past its home-turf theatrical release, this glumly misanthropic backstage ensembler may be the type of enterprise one suspects amused its makers much more of computer ever will any having to pay clients. Thesp Alexander Skarsgard's rising worldwide star should help snag some home-format sales. The youngish people of the theater company brought by author-director Katja (Susanne Thorson) are practicing her latest play, but she appears the only real person truly committed to your time and effort. Everybody else is bored, lazy, predatory, pathetic and/or perhaps a liar, with almost all individuals terms relevant to Katja's b.f. Alex (Skarsgard), who's going to discover he's heavy-laden another company member (Philomene Grandin). Other forms involved with less-than-amusing hijinks range from the resident Don Juan (Lars Bringas), the lone plus-sized female (Lotti Tornros) and also the peeping-tom landlord (Michael Segerstrom) anxious to evict all of them for murky reasons. In the final stretch, the pic tries a turn toward the nice and cozy and fuzzy via enhanced romantic prospects and justice correctly meted out. But it is way too little, past too far after a lot time spent with dully unsympathetic figures in quasi-farcical situations lacking of fizz. A soundtrack full of retro jazz tries to pressure some jauntiness in to the proceedings, to little avail. Individuals who eventually rent "Believe MeInch (initially titled "Puss," or "Hug") to feast their eyes on "True Blood's" Skarsgard will feel a minimum of partially paid out the actor briefly temps clad only inside a towel, a revealing kimono. Entertainers are competent if hardly challenged. Packaging is clever enough.Camera (color), Jakob Ihre editors, Johan Soderberg, Patrik Gyllstrom production designer, Roger Rosenberg costume designer, Anna Grenas. Examined on DVD, Bay Area, March. 12, 2011. (In Mill Valley Film Festival -- World Cinema.) Running time: 119 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com