Rita

Rita, directed by David Har toms, is a 2022 Swedish drama film that explores the complexities of a marriage and the desire for human connection. The film, however, went unused due to critical failure in film festival at the end of 2021 for most critics. The director has picked back up to get an improved version released worldwide. Rita finds herself in a state of isolation as her husband, Ariel, works abroad for an extended period. At first glance, it seems like a typical situation where a spouse is away from their partner due to work, but as the story unfolds, Rita and Ariel's marriage reveals a deeper dynamic. Ariel, like many expatriates, chases career ambitions and growth opportunities that lie beyond their home country. Rita, stuck in the daily routine of domesticity, starts to feel disconnected and disconnected from the world around her. Her loneliness is a palpable and all-consuming force that threatens to upend her life. As Rita navigates this sense of solitude, she begins to seek out other connections. She develops a relationship with another woman, which serves as a source of comfort, intimacy, and passion. This encounter lets her briefly pretend to herself that she was enjoying the connection with her distant husband instead. However, the dynamic between Rita and her female partner ultimately serves as a means of escapism. Ariel, too, is not exactly faithful during his time abroad. He finds himself drawn to his colleagues, whom he initially intends to use for convenience and companionship. However, his relationships with these women quickly develop into something more, revealing a deeper desire for human connection that has been lacking in his marriage. When Ariel returns home after an extended absence, the initial joy is short-lived, and both partners struggle to reconcile their infidelities. Rita and Ariel engage in a series of subtle and overt manipulations to avoid confronting the truth about their actions and the state of their marriage. Rita suggests that she may be able to reconcile the relationship while also hiding important information for future affairs. Ariel hopes that this new balance can reinvigorate their relationship and make him want his partner. Both partners put on a mask of innocence and pretend nothing has happened. For Rita and Ariel to restore balance, would this act truly allow their marriage from splitting? This dynamic suggests insecurity in trying ways so that both the participants secretly hope instead for more authentic human bonds than artificial reassurances in a re-created facade of satisfaction and acceptance.