Film opinion: Now is the time to revisit ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’
Camp, silly and a whole lot of fun: that is how you describe the Eurovision Song Contest.
One of the true gems of European culture, Eurovision is a musical celebration of incredibly joyous proportions.
With this year’s event coming up, Film News Blitz’s David Bason explains why now is the perfect time to revisit Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
What is ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga?’
In the middle of the Covid-pandemic, Will Ferrell and Netflix unveiled a ridiculous, campy and silly comedy that would beam right into people’s living rooms, like a lightning rod to crack through the lockdown misery.
That comedy was Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, a film that encapsulates the joy of the musical event that is central to its story.
Ferrell stars as Lars, who, along with his lifelong friend Sigrit, embodied by the incredible Rachel McAdams, dreams of one day winning the Eurovision Song Contest.
There’s just one problem, despite harbouring his dream since ABBA roused him from the childhood loss of his mother, everyone in Lars’ small Icelandic town thinks he’s a joke.
Lars and Sigrit keep dreaming into their middle-aged years, much to the dismay of the former’s father, Erick.
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Erick is played by Pierce Brosnan, who clearly bought into the silliness of this film that will only put a smile on your face.
Lars and Sigrit, by chance, find themselves in the Icelandic round of auditions to be the island-nation’s Eurovision submission, where the clear favourite is pop-superstar Demi Lovato’s Katiana.
After an embarrassing audition, Lars and Sigrit make their way to the Eurovision semi-finals after the rest of their Icelandic competitors come to an explosive end during a fateful boat party.
From there, the duo’s ‘will they, won’t they’ romance, a meddling Russian contestant played by Dan Stevens, and a series of disasters masterminded by a corrupt Icelandic politician threaten to split the pair apart and end their Eurovision dream.
A fitting tribute to Eurovision
Ferrell and company deliver a fitting tribute to Eurovision in this 2020 comedy because they show a clear understanding of the world-famous Song Contest.
Not only do past contestants and winners, such as Conchita Wurst and Salvador Sobral, appear in the film, along with the United Kingdom’s extraordinary commentator Graham Norton, but everyone involved is having fun.
Ferrell, like usual, is having more fun than most and brings his own vocals to the musical numbers of Lars and Sigrit's ‘Fire Saga’ band, which delivers musical acts that would seamlessly fit into an actual Eurovision show.
As well as comedy and folky talk of Icelandic elves, the film draws on love as Lars and Sigrit build towards making their romantic relationship concrete.
Love is a core principle of Eurovision, a show that has built an inclusive community where all are welcome.
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It has, in particular, become a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, and Eurovision often serves as a bright light shining in the face of those with a close-minded philosophy.
But, beyond the camp frivolity, comical songs and peculiar acts, Eurovision still plays host to incredible musical acts.
With that in mind, The Story of Fire Saga leaves its best moment until the very end.
[Spoiler alert.]
The closing moment of the second act sees a distraught Lars abandon Sigrit and return to Iceland, fearing the Eurovision dream is done for good.
But when he unexpectedly learns Fire Saga made it into the final, he rushes back to the contest in Edinburgh, Scotland, to perform with Sigrit and profess his feelings for her.
At this point, the pair abandon their practice song and instead Sigrit performs a personal love ballad.
Now, McAdams isn’t lending her vocals to this pivotal moment; instead, that role goes to Swedish singer Molly Sandén, who expertly delivers a beautiful rendition of the film’s marquee song, ‘Husavik (My Hometown).’
But the moment between her character and Ferrell’s is real, pure and genuinely heartwarming.
So, if you want an extra dose of happiness to accompany your Eurovision experience this year, don’t forget to watch The Story of Fire Saga.
And don’t forget, the classic ‘Jaja Ding Dong’ courses through the film’s comical veins.
