Let the right one in

Swedish vampire horror movies are not normally the stuff of legend. This is, however, not a Swedish vampire movie, nor is it a horror movie. What it is is a story about a bullied boy which just happens to contain a vampire. The movie is compelling. Visually it's beautifully grimy; this is not the glitzy 70s Sweden of Abba and bright clothing. The actors are utterly magnetic - the boy in particular is unsettlingly ambiguous. The blood-spattered scenes are well-paced. In the end what made it for me was the realisation, towards the end, of a deeply dark depiction of children, manipulation and the transience of love. Not ideal when you're getting married I suppose...