EUROVISION SONG CONTEST:
THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA (2020)
βAnd 12 points go toβ¦β
How many of us, ESC fans, get excited and pumped by hearing this sentence? The only good and correct answer is ALL OF US! The level of adrenaline is comparable to jumping out of a plane (I can only imagine)β¦ The Eurovision Song Contest is an addictive dose of cheesy music, tacky but stunning outfits and the lines from a tipsy but funny Graham Norton (for those watching in the UK), who will judge anything and anyone. What is not to like?
Netflix is known for releasing some good super productions, but it is also known for producing some average βpleaserβ films, that are not very deep and are easily forgettable, but that always find their audience anyway. I am trying to think in which of those two categories does The Story Of Fire Saga belong? Currently, with an IMDb score of 6.6/10 from over 30k votes, this easy and funny movie is not doing as bad as I was imagining after watching the trailer. I am not a huge fan of Will Ferrell but I like Rachel McAdams. The first one is known for being a silly βextraβ star on SNL sketches and performing in some stupid comedies. I canβt think of anything else when I think of Ferrell. The second one has marked her presence in the movie industry by being the muse of directors like Woody Allen, Brian De Palma and even playing Regina George in βMean Girlsβ, which can be considered a classic pop culture film. Being biased set my mind to dislike this feature as I simply canβt stand Will Ferrell. But I gave it a go. On a Sunday afternoon, being hangover and not looking for anything too ambitious, I watched a story about two passionate musicians from an Icelandic village that wanted to fulfill their dreams of winning the Eurovision Song Contest. No one, including Larsβ (Ferrell) father (played by a well aged Pierce Brosnan) believed in them. And neither did I. But I was wrong. Everything works in this picture. Released in a year where many live events have been cancelled, including the ESC, this piece is a saviour. David Dobkin gave us a joyful piece of musical elations so loved by millions (the 2014 ESC was watched by 204 million people worldwide!) which filled the gap of not having the live contest this 2020. In these specific times, films like this one are mood fixers. Jokes are silly and shallow, but so is the contest itself. With the perfect symbiosis of a love story and a plot twist, Dobkin invites us to a world as addictive as the ESC. There is a perfect dose of music and a few original songs, that will make your feet move, while you watch locked in your house. Will you be tempted to stand up and dance & sing-a-long with Sigrid (McAdams) and Lars (Ferrell)? Absolutely!Β
With beautiful images of Iceland, a cameo from many known singers from the worldβs biggest song competition and music industry (Conchita Wurst, Jamala, Demi Lovato, etc.) and inviting viewers behind the scenes of how the show production really works, this motion picture just joined the βThat was fun!β category. The soundtrack, the styling of the costumes, the set design are spot on and very Eurovision. All ESC fans will catch the vibe right away and feel a certain degree of nostalgia. It is not perfect, but it ticks all the boxes of this genre. If a movie makes you switch off for a while and makes you feel good, its mission is complete!
EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA is available to watch on Netflix as part of subscription.
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