This was the official website for the 2000 Swedish comedy-drama film, Together, directed by Lukas Moodysson.
Content is from the site's 2000 archived pages as well as from other sources.
TOMATOMETER CRITICS 90% | AUDIENCE 89%
In mid-1970s, fleeing life with her abusive husband Rolf, Elisabeth moves into her brother Goran's commune, with her two children Stefan and Eva. A big house in suburban Stockholm, the commune is called "Together" and inhabited by a crowded assortment of people. Initially resistant to Elisabeth's entry, the commune soon accepts her and her children as part of their family. Soon Elisabeth is acclimating to her new surroundings and the commune's liberal attitudes towards sex, drugs and politics. But just as she's becoming settled, her husband shows up looking to get the family back together.
Rating: R (for nudity/sexuality and language)
Genre: Art House & International, Comedy, Drama
Directed By: Lukas Moodysson
Written By: Lukas Moodysson
In Theaters: Aug 24, 2001 Limited
On Disc/Streaming: Jan 1, 1998
Runtime: 106 minutes
Studio: IFC Films
Lukas Moodysson looking back on Together (2000)
Director: Lukas Moodysson
Screenwriter: Lukas Moodysson
Cast: Lisa Lindgren, Michael Nyqvist, Gustav Hammarsten, Anja Lundkvist, Jessica Liedberg, Ola Norell, Shanti Roney, Sam Kessel, Emma Samuelsson, Lars Frode, Cecilia Frode, Henrik Lundström, Thérèse Brunnander, Claes Hartelius, Olle Sarri, Axel Zuber, Sten Ljunggren, Emil Moodysson
CRITICS REVIEWS
Together (2000) www.allmovie.com/
Synopsis by Rebecca Flint Marx
The second feature from Lukas Moodysson, who directed the internationally acclaimed Fucking Åmal, Tillsammans is the tale of life on a Stockholm commune in the mid-'70s. After suffering more than her share of abuse from her husband, Rolf (Michael Nyqvist), Elisabeth (Lisa Lindgren) takes her two children, Stefan (Sam Kessel) and Eva (Emma Samuelsson), to a commune run by her brother Göran (Gustav Hammarsten). Life at the commune is crowded with people with laid-back attitudes towards sex, nudity, and recreational drug use, prompting plenty of political debate. Göran's partner, Lena (Anja Lundkvist), is a particular proponent of free-spirited bed-hopping, something Göran doesn't really like but tolerates. Lena duly gets involved with the rebellious Erik (Olle Sarri) and finds fulfillment in the form of her first orgasm, something that leads her to confess to Göran that she was always faking it with him. Meanwhile, various dramas are at work amongst the other commune members, including the once-married Lasse (Ola Norell) and Anna (Jessica Liedberg) (who split up when Anna announced she was a lesbian) and Klas (Shanti Roney), whose advances to Lasse are continually rebuffed. The goings-on of the commune are observed and commented on by a pair of neighbors, Margit (Therese Brunnander) and Ragner (Claes Hartelius), whose marriage is so lackluster that Ragner masturbates compulsively. Their son, the fat and miserable Fredrik (Henrik Lundström), befriends Elisabeth's daughter, Eva, who longs to have a family again. When Rolf appears on the scene seeking reconciliation, it seems Eva may get her wish.
Review by Josh Ralske
Lukas Moodysson's Together opens in 1975, with a radio announcement that Generalissimo Francisco Franco is dead. At the Tillsammans (Together) commune, an impromptu celebration erupts, which includes two small children jumping up and down excitedly, shouting, "Franco is dead! Franco is dead!" Thus, Moodysson cunningly opens his film by showing us the infectious energy and idealism of the commune members, and gently mocking them for their knee-jerk response. Moodysson, director of the similarly complex, funny, and thoughtful Fucking Åmål (released in the U.S. as Show Me Love), maintains this affectionately mocking tone throughout the film. Though the subject matter and behavior depicted is often crude, Together is a subtle film full of small gestures that convey a range of powerful emotions, and half-spoken thoughts that reverberate into decisive action. Much of what the characters say and do is worthy of ridicule, but Moodysson's film is richly observant and he never loses sight of their essential humanity. The one puzzling role is that of Joss (Nish Aaroom), who is escaping a horrible life in New York City. Although constantly bragging about his former business "expert carpet cleaning in NYC," it becomes clear that career was one he hated and as a result he rages at every mention of it. I did enjoy that one instance where his rage turns into a philosophical rant about the notion of "nothing." It wasn't quite Rev Sale, but it was very close - and funny. Not sure how dealing with filthy rugs justifies the anger he exhibits. And while it seems overblown, his character does set up others to be more empathetically received. Rolf, the estranged husband, well played by Michael Nyqvist, is a prime example. First seen as Elisabeth (Lisa Lindgren) angrily leaves him to join Tillsammans, he seems to be little more than an abusive drunken clod. As his efforts to get Elisabeth back and maintain his relationship with his two children continually backfire, he sinks into an even more pathetic state. But in the end, his utter desolation and his unremitting determination to make amends and regain his family's love endear him to the audience. He's still a mess, but his basic humanity can be appreciated. Moodysson perfectly and truthfully captures the milieu of this commune in 1975, but his greatest strength as a filmmaker is that, like the legendary Jean Renoir, he recognizes that "everyone has his motives."
+++++
FILM IN REVIEW; 'Together'
By DAVE KEHRAUG. 24, 2001 NY Times
Directed by Lukas Moodysson
In Swedish, with English subtitles
R, 106 minutes
The 1970's are the subject of much scrutiny in today's movies and television culture, perhaps because the requisite 30 years that define a new generation have passed. Just as films about the 1920's flourished in the late 40's and early 50's, so have the 70's entered popular consciousness as a period of now-lost innocence, scented by incense, patchouli oil and the occasional aroma of an illegal drug.
Lukas Moodysson's lively and provocative Swedish film ''Together'' takes a more gimlet-eyed view of the period. Set in 1975, the action takes place almost entirely within the rambling and ramshackle suburban house that is home to an idealistic commune named Tillsammans, which means together in Swedish.
Mr. Moodysson begins his film as if it were to be a study in disillusionment and dispersal. The ''Together'' commune is not all that its name implies: one couple in the group, Lasse (Ola Norell) and Anna (Jessica Liedberg), have just been through a painful divorce, occasioned by Anna's politically motivated decision to become a lesbian. But they continue to live in the house for the sake of their 8-year-old son, Tet (Axel Zuber), named for the well-known Vietnam War offensive.
Goran (Gustaf Hammarsten) is a gentle, idealistic soul who becomes the movie's emotional focus; he is having trouble with the free-love philosophy espoused by his impulsive girlfriend, Lena (Anja Lundqvist), especially when Lena insists on making noisy love in the next room to the surly socialist Erik (Olle Sarri). Looking on from the sidelines is Klas (Shanti Roney), a lonely gay man who hopes that his crush on Lasse will someday pay off.
This fragile network of relationships is shattered by the arrival of Elisabeth (Lisa Lindgren), Goran's conventional, middle-class sister, who is running away from her abusive alcoholic husband, Rolf (Michael Nyqvist), with her two young children, Stefan (Sam Kessel) and Eva (Emma Samuelsson), reluctantly in tow. With three new people in the house, the affective arrangements come up for radical reconsideration. Anna, the aspiring lesbian, begins pursuing Elisabeth; Goran begins to wonder just what binds him to the aggressively unfaithful Lena; and little Eva finds a soul mate next door, in the tubby person of 14-year-old Fredrik (Henrik Lundstrom).
But just as the title of ''Together'' is beginning to seem bluntly ironic, Mr. Moodysson's script takes some delightfully unexpected turns, and the characters begin to reunite in new combinations and with a new, perhaps more realistic understanding of the forces that bind them together. From the rigidly, tidily political, their bonds evolve into the frayed but more flexible ties of genuine human emotion.
Mr. Moodysson gained some deserved attention three years ago for ''Show Me Love,'' a film better known on the festival circuit under its original Swedish title, which contains an unprintable English expletive. The story of two teenage girls who fall in love, defying all the conventions of the small town in which they live, it also had an appealingly warm, sloppy tone but built to a pat, feel-good finale. With ''Together,'' Mr. Moodysson has moved beyond such compromises; his film never feels less than completely natural as it moves toward the reconfigurations that provide its sunny climax. Here is one of the most pleasant foreign films of the year, a funny, graceful and immensely good-natured work.
"Together" is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). It has sexual situations, nudity and strong language.
+++++
Together
4.0 out of 5
by Ed Gonzalez SLANT
August 21, 2001
In the utopian Walden Two, B. F. Skinner claims that humanity is incapable of being reduced to a singular mindset. Walden Two founder T.E. Frazier is more than aware of the individual’s need for assurance and their intrinsic need to flock to those than can provide necessities of life. Whether Frazier was a closet-capitalist is beside the point—his support of the Orwellian Managers becomes an affront to individualism. For him, success lies in numbers and the triumph of one man over another is never to be lauded. Together, Lukas Moodysson’s timeless piece of hippie lore, isn’t so much an argument in favor of bourgeois order (the film’s anti-communers are slaves—one to the bottle, another to masturbation) as it is an incredible exploration of societal fear of chaos. Moodysson is hopeful, tracing that uncharted gray area between capitalism and Marxism. Though he seemingly defends communism he nonetheless pokes fun at its inability to acknowledge man’s egotistical trappings.
Anna’s foe-lesbianism can be seen as an anti-bourgeois response; she hopes that “free love” will liberate her. Lasse, her ex-husband, is wary of her actions, though he too submits to homo-love by way of the dopey Klas and rocks Anna’s thinly-constructed worldview. More successful, though, is Moodysson’s evocation of Goran’s inner angst. Goran allows his girlfriend Lena to have sex with his pal Eric. Though not exactly stripped of his free will, he supports the idea that free-floating affection is crucial to the success of group order. When Lena achieves her first-ever orgasm from Eric (Goran is painfully forced to hear it), Moodysson suggests that free love can liberate as much as it can destroy. Moodysson humorously details the communer’s affinity for the outré (posters of Che, Mao and the Berlin Olympics decorate the house) and their need to blow hot air (the fictional kid’s character Pippi Longstocking is viewed as a materialist pig). “Washing up is bourgeois,” says Anna as she stands naked in the kitchen, interrupting household chores. Lasse reacts, pulling down his own pants to the horror of Goran’s sister and her two children.
Skinner’s Walden Two community stripped children of their humanity and indoctrinated them into group thinking via aquariums. This is where the failure of the community is inscribed. Both Skinner’s Walden Two and Moodysson’s commune fail to account for the unpredictable and the role of their pre-political children. Stefan and Eva find it difficult to adjust to the ideals of the house: TV is forbidden, gifts are frowned upon and vegetarianism is extolled. Stefan is called a fascist after mistaking a boy’s gym slippers for “girl shoes” while Eva spends lonely nights in the house’s Volkswagen van hoping to escape the adults whose politics she calls “stupid.” Tet (Axel Zuber)—named by his parents after the Vietnam War’s Tet Offensive—is in awe of Stefan’s Legos (he never had such a luxury and, because his father was a naturalist, his two Lego pieces were carved out of wood). Just as Stefan seemingly begins to adjust to life inside the commune, the children revolt: he and Tet begin to play war games (playing the role of Pinochet and victim) and ultimately stage a We Want Meat campaign. A television set is bought into the house, hot dogs are eaten and, as a result, the walls of the commune begin to crumble.
Walden Two’s narrator specifically blames the failure of Frazier’s Walden Two on the commune’s refusal to change the world “outside.” Much of the action in Together takes place indoors. Though the pawns in Moodysson’s experiment celebrate the death of Spain’s Franco, their disconnection from the exterior world is strangely passive. Moodysson criticizes those too far to the left and suggests that the success of group homogenization (and communism itself) will be compromised as soon as personal interests take over. Walden Two is as classic a behavioral primer as it is a fantastical farce on the sacrifice of personal freedom. Together similarly admonishes its creatures of discomfort for their fear of the outside world and their disrespect for individual choice and preference (sexual, cultural, political). The film doesn’t seek to destroy its group as much as it suggests that hippies and their bourgeois “enemies” should meet somewhere in the middle. Moodysson may not know where the middle lies but the film’s liberating, snowy finale is at least hopeful and ripe with possibilities.
AUDIENCE REVIEWS
**** 1/2 Spencer S.
Super Reviewer
Surprisingly this film is more feel-good and heartwarming than anything, and yet also gives commentary on socialism, free living, and polyamory as well. The film covers family, love, and forgiveness, as well as opening yourself to new experiences so you can find new love. The film is actually set in a commune called Together (Tillsammans), where Goran lives with a bunch of other people and a woman he loves. His sister, Elisabeth, has a domestic disturbance with her husband for the first time in years, and immediately leaves, taking her children with her to live with her brother. The three fish out of water find themselves shoved into a small space and their lives are completely changed as the commune's inhabitants rub off on them and vice versa. While there are some political themes that run throughout the story and oftentimes speak volumes on the residents, it does not overpower the narrative or center around the characters. More often these political leanings only lead to absurd scenarios, including an intellectual who more oftentimes wants to argue rather than converse, a hippie dippy woman who stomps on hearts as well as promotes multiple partners, and several others who believe in the extremes of clean living and the liberal agenda. Most of the film relies on absurd personalities over political beliefs to find humor. We also look back to the father who was left, as he finds guidance from an outside source and tries to change in order to get back his family. Every bit of this film is feel-good, whether it is the man who gets rid of his toxic lover or the coming of age story of a young teenager finding love with the next door neighbor, every bit of this makes you feel happy and sweet. The ending is even happy, and though it pulls on heartstrings throughout, it never drags, never degrades its subjects, and doesn't become clichéd or schmaltzy.
+++++
**** Jesse Ortega
Super Reviewer
This is definitely a movie that sort of sneaks up on you because the characters slowly start to grow on you and the movie is well paced as it keeps getting better as it goes along and it ends at the right moment. The movie doesn't have a real story per se, just a collection of little subplots between the characters. Despite this, the movie never has any consistency or pacing issues. All the stories the movie tells are interesting and entertaining. I can't really complain about the movie, because, again, it may not start out like much but the movie really does grow on you with its charms and its satirical aspects. Just a great movie.
+++++
**** Randy Tippy
Super Reviewer
Communal living, free-love and hippies from a uniquely Swedish perspective. Wonderfully nostalgic and, for director Moodysson, surprisingly sentimental.
More Background On Together-TheFilm.com
Together-TheFilm.com served as the official promotional and informational website for Together (Tillsammans), the acclaimed 2000 Swedish comedy-drama film written and directed by Lukas Moodysson. Although the site is no longer active, archived versions—primarily preserved through the Wayback Machine—offer a detailed look at how the film was introduced to international audiences across Europe and North America. The website once functioned as both a promotional platform and a cultural guide, contextualizing the film’s themes, cast, production details, critical analysis, release information, and international reception.
The film itself became a landmark in Scandinavian cinema for its humanistic portrayal of communal living, 1970s counterculture, and interpersonal tensions within a politically charged setting. Together-TheFilm.com extended this impact by serving as a hub for critics, viewers, and festival programmers who sought deeper contextualization of Moodysson’s work.
This article reconstructs the significance, structure, functions, and cultural relevance of Together-TheFilm.com, while also examining Together’s themes, reception, influence, and historical footprint.
Ownership and Development of the Website
Together-TheFilm.com was created and maintained by the film’s distributors and marketing partners during its international release cycle. In Sweden, the film was backed by Memfis Film, a production house known for supporting auteur-driven Scandinavian releases. The international marketing components—including the website—were later supported by IFC Films when Together was released in the United States in 2001.
The site’s ownership and technical infrastructure reflected common early-2000s film marketing practices:
Static HTML pages with table-based layouts
Press kits and production notes accessible as text pages
Downloadable media such as stills, posters, and trailers
Cast and crew profiles
Festival screening updates
Critical review excerpts
The site was not heavily interactive, which was typical for the time, relying on informational content over multimedia engagement. However, for a film of its scale—a foreign art-house release—the site was comparatively robust and international in scope.
Website Structure and Content
Archived versions of the site reveal several core sections:
1. Synopsis and Background
This section summarized the story:
Set in a 1975 Stockholm commune named "Tillsammans" (Swedish for “Together”)
Follows Elisabeth, who leaves her abusive husband and moves in with commune members
Explores political debates, free-love ideology, family dynamics, and social tensions
Highlights children’s perspectives on ideological contradictions
The site aimed to position the film as humorous yet thought-provoking, emphasizing its sociopolitical context without overshadowing emotional storytelling.
2. Cast Profiles
Cast biographies included:
Lisa Lindgren as Elisabeth
Michael Nyqvist as Rolf (later internationally known for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Gustaf Hammarsten as Göran
Anja Lundqvist, Olle Sarri, Shanti Roney, Jessica Liedberg, and more
Each actor’s background was brief but informative, with emphasis on their contributions to Swedish theater and film.
3. Director’s Statement
A central feature of the site was Moodysson’s commentary about:
His interest in reconstructing 1970s Swedish counterculture
His desire to balance humor and tragedy
His depiction of political naïveté with affection rather than satire
His personal reflections on community, empathy, and humanity
This section contributed to public understanding of Moodysson’s larger body of work, connecting Together to his earlier breakout film, Fucking Åmål (Show Me Love).
4. Press Reviews and Highlights
Together-TheFilm.com included excerpts from:
Swedish newspapers
International festival reviews
U.S. outlets such as The New York Times, Variety, and The Village Voice
European critics praising its warmth and social insight
These reviews emphasized Moodysson’s ability to mix political commentary with emotional depth.
5. Festival Screenings and Awards
The site documented the film’s appearances at major international festivals, including:
Toronto International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
London Film Festival
These listings helped generate momentum for theatrical releases outside Scandinavia.
6. Media Assets
Promotional stills, posters, and trailers were available for download in multiple sizes, enabling journalists and festival programmers to easily use them in coverage.
Film Overview and Thematic Context
Setting and Historical Atmosphere
Together is set in 1975 Sweden, a period marked by:
Socialist political movements
Anti-authoritarian ideals
Free-love experimentation
Communal living experiments
Debates over gender roles, economic systems, and parenting philosophies
Moodysson reconstructs everyday life rather than the more radical imagery often associated with 1970s activism. The film focuses on the small, often humorous failures of idealistic people trying to live collectively.
Plot Themes Highlighted by the Website
1. Communal Living
The commune, “Tillsammans,” serves as a microcosm of social experimentation:
Shared chores (though often debated)
Group discussions about politics
Conflicting interpretations of Marxist theory
Clashes between ideology and human behavior
The website highlighted these contradictions as a key source of the film’s humor and emotional depth.
2. Family and Forgiveness
The film addresses domestic abuse, emotional neglect, and childhood resilience. The site emphasized that:
Elisabeth’s journey from fear to empowerment is central
Rolf is not reduced to a stereotype but treated with empathy
Children navigate adult ideological arguments with both confusion and clarity
3. Free-Love and Relationship Complexity
The website’s character section detailed how the commune’s “free-love” policies lead to:
Romantic entanglements
Sexual experimentation
Jealousy and vulnerability
Emotional growth and collapse
Moodysson critiques hypocrisy without moralizing, which the website carefully explained to global audiences unfamiliar with Swedish cultural history.
Popularity and Critical Reception
Sweden and Scandinavia
The film was a commercial and critical success in Sweden, where audiences recognized both the humor and authenticity of the 1970s setting. It became one of the most talked-about Swedish films of its release year.
United States
Upon U.S. release by IFC Films:
Rotten Tomatoes scored it around 90% among critics
Audiences rated it similarly high
It became a staple of independent and art-house theaters
Strong word-of-mouth extended its run
Together-TheFilm.com showcased these metrics prominently in its promotional materials.
International Recognition
Critics outside Sweden praised:
The ensemble acting
Moodysson’s subtle storytelling
Authentic set design
Warm, humanistic tone
Many compared it favorably to the films of Jean Renoir for its empathetic character portrayals.
Press & Media Coverage
Major Publications
The website highlighted reviews from:
The New York Times
Variety
The Guardian
Chicago Sun-Times
Los Angeles Times
Village Voice
These reviews emphasized:
Nuanced social commentary
Humor rooted in character rather than mockery
Strong ensemble performances
A balance of political insight and emotional warmth
Film Journals and Academic Interest
The film attracted attention from:
Cinema studies departments
Journals examining European social movements
Historians of Scandinavian culture
LGBTQ+ studies scholars examining Anna and Lasse’s storyline
Together-TheFilm.com linked to academic discussions and festival talkbacks when available.
Audience Profile
1. International Art-House Viewers
Viewers drawn to character-driven stories found Together refreshing in its balance of absurdity and sincerity.
2. Scandinavian Cinema Enthusiasts
Fans of Moodysson and contemporary Nordic filmmakers appreciated:
Cultural specificity
Political humor
Emotional authenticity
3. LGBTQ+ Audiences
The film’s exploration of sexuality—especially Anna’s storyline—resonated with viewers interested in representations of fluid identity.
4. Students and Educators
The film became a teaching tool in:
Sociology
European history
Gender studies
Film studies
Together-TheFilm.com provided synopses and character guides that were often used in classrooms.
Cultural & Social Significance
1. Critique of Utopian Ideals
The film humorously examines how idealistic philosophies clash with human flaws:
People argue about ideology more than they practice it
The children often understand reality better than adults
Social experimentation produces both growth and chaos
2. Representation of 1970s Sweden
It captures details such as:
Décor and fashion
Music (ABBA and folk-rock influences)
Political posters of Che, Mao, and Allende
Vegetarian cooking and communal meals
Anti-materialist rhetoric
3. Early Exploration of Polyamory
At a time when mainstream cinema seldom addressed non-monogamous relationships, Together portrayed them with humor, empathy, and realism rather than sensationalism.
4. Legacy in Swedish Cinema
The film helped establish Moodysson’s reputation internationally and influenced later Scandinavian productions exploring community and interpersonal conflict.
Website’s Legacy and Decline
As promotional sites for early-2000s films often did, Together-TheFilm.com eventually became inactive once the theatrical and home-media marketing cycle ended. Streaming platforms, distributor pages, and global film databases eventually replaced the need for standalone promotional websites.
Still, its archival presence contributes to:
The historical record of film marketing
Preservation of early digital film culture
Access to original press materials
Documentation of Moodysson’s artistic intentions
Fans, researchers, and students still reference the archived version when studying Swedish cinema or early-internet film promotion.
