
TakinginspirationfromthewritingsofHenryDavidThoreau,thisdebutfeaturefromHenrikHellströmandFredrikWenzelseekstoexploreideasofself-reliance,solitudeandcontemplation.WhilethesettingofaSwedishsuburbmaynotimmediatelysuggestaneasyviewpointfromwhichtoconsidertheseconcepts,byfocusingseparatelyonseverallocalmisfits,mostnotablySebastian–thefilm'syoungnarrator–thedirectorscreateamoodymeditationontheindividualincontemporarysociety.Thefilmprogressesinanalmostmosaic-likefashion,oftenrelyingonambienceandsuggestionratherthanconventionalnarrativeandcharacterdevelopmenttoobserveandexplorelivesandexperiences.Smallmomentsofdrama,usuallyshotfromadispassionatepointofviewamidstintriguing,beautifullycomposedscenes,createagrowingsympathyforthewaywardprotagonists,withErikEnocksson'sevocativesoundtrackaddingaunifyingandyetotherworldlyqualitytothepiece.ParallelshavebeendrawnbetweenthisfilmandthestyleandsentimentofHarmonyKorine'sGummoandRoyAndersson'soffbeatcaricaturesofSwedishculture.Botharevalidreferencepoints,butliketheworkofthosebeautifulloserswhowentbefore,Burrowingistrulyunique.<br/> SarahLutton

