A Tiger in Paradise

Mikel Cee Karlsson’s documentary A Tiger in Paradise begins with musician and song-writer José González talking about a psychotic episode he had a few years earlier in which he believed seagulls outside his window were surveillance robots and the smoke alarm’s beeps were giving him instructions. In music documentaries, this would typically be the jumping-off point where the film explores how the artist’s mental health affects their music, but not this film. Instead, Karlsson’s project branches out into a meditative portrait of the artist’s inner thoughts as he muses about wellness, the future and knowledge.

Throughout a large portion of the runtime, González goes into a great amount of detail about his healthcare routine to stay on top of his mental health: he drinks a large glass of water every morning and fasts for around 12 hours each day; he wears a special ring that allows him to keep track of his vitals and sleep schedule; and he talks at length about things like micromorts. Although González’s monologues verge on becoming like Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, his thoughts nevertheless touch upon interesting ground. Moreover, the tranquil Swedish countryside that acts as the backdrop to the star’s lavish home creates a peaceful atmosphere that invites viewers to take in the gorgeous sights as the singer’s guitar melodies play whimsically in the background. It’s all very relaxing.

In between the musician’s thoughts, this film is peppered with sequences of his young daughter being adorable, eye-catching visuals that add some extra flavour to the musical moments, and a collection of bizarre and darkly funny tableaus that look like they’ve come from David Lynch’s version of Midsommar. As imaginatively odd and amusing as these moments are (the best being one from which this film looks to have derived its title), they’re not used nearly enough to justify their inclusion outside of their appealing aesthetics.

The latter issue is a running theme throughout this relatively short documentary. While everything looks and sounds spectacular, the connective tissue joining everything together is barely detectable. It’s a film that’s simultaneously about everything and nothing alongside being a dreamy showreel of the singer’s art. Whatever this film’s intended goal is, it nevertheless holds a trancelike grasp on viewers throughout.

Andrew Murray

A Tiger in Paradise is released on 8^th December 2023.

Watch the trailer for A Tiger in Paradise here: