Speed Walking

Speed Walking is far different from director Niels Arden Oplev’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But it’s as engagingly and movingly told and it too deals with sexuality, its power and abuse. 

Fourteen-year-old Martin’s growth through the film can be summarized by the two framing songs: Love Hurts and This Is My Life.  As his confirmation takes him into manhood he plumbs the meaning of the cliches in the first song and adjusts to handle the last one’s sense of responsibilities and maturity. The plot traces his learning the truth of phrases he has only heard, like the first song title, puddle whacking, "my condolences," love, betrayal, and adulthood (aka adultery).

The film presents a pragmatic view of sexuality. The widowed father addresses his needs with the obliging hairdresser Mona. When Martin objects she passes her friend on to a prostitute in a nearby town. Another man offers condolences along with a bottle of scotch and some porn magazines, for “when you feel up to it again.” A close relative puts up with an abusive, unfaithful drunk husband, but quietly rebels (as in servicing Martin’s older brother). 

Martin also experiences his first sexual impulses. He feels drawn to both his male friend Kim and the pretty Kristine. She values Martin because only he did not tease her about her braces. She cautions him against “going too fast” just before naming him her boyfriend. Because Martin didn’t go fast enough Kim beats him out (instead of off).

The title reference to Martin’s sport is a metaphor for the difficulty of growing up. Speed walking is not running slow but walking fast. It’s a matter of balance, timing, restraint, control, stretch — like life. Visually it also includes an element of strut, style, so it gives Martin a ready outlet for his increasing confidence when his romance seems to be going well.

At the end Martin sets his life course by winning the speed walking race, which sets him up to compete in more ambitious contests. He’s comfortable with his two missed lovers, the alliteratively destined Kim and Kristine, jointly cheering him on.

The drunk Rolf said “Sometimes it doesn’t pay to get ahead of yourself.” That would be the walker who lapses into running.  

     The film movingly plays on the cycle of life. Martin’s mother dies but he doesn’t know that when he cycles past all the pitying neighbors, his indiscreet ghetto blaster warning Love Hurts. A pregnant teacher’s water breaks in the midst of her class on frying mackerel. The class wheel her to the principal’s office. Events happen with unsynchronized responses. Martin doesn’t fathom or react to his mother’s death until her burial, when he insists she’s still alive. Amidst the grief his grandmother berates his father for neglecting and forgetting his wife, oblivious to his suffering. That’s our life.