HeathCliff:

I'm just blown away by this movie. Life affirming is a descriptor to a movie that is always dubious, since it's usually a bit cliched, easy fixes, artificial, formulaic, Pollyanna-ish. But this was life affirming in the most profound, authentic way - and it's not exactly a happy movie. There's a lot of suffering, people who are trying to overcome their own individual pains and pasts and issues. But it's a movie about people moving the needle just a bit, or more, in their own lives to find fulfillment, authenticity, peace, love, self-love, freedom from fears or self-inflicted prisons. The catalyst is the conductor-hero of the film, who is on that journey himself, and ends up impacting a small rural community in Sweden when he leads a choir there. I was quite transfixed by the movie, and stayed up till almost 2 am because I was so moved and engaged by the movie. The lead actor is quite special, along with the rest of the cast. The director is pretty sensational. Highly recommended.