While reviews of new Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga have been mixed, actor Will Ferrell is a self-confessed fan of the singing competition.
The producer and star of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga spends every summer in his wife’s home country, Sweden, and her cousin got him hooked on the singing contest years ago.
“We watched this crazy spectacle for three hours,” he says.
“There’s a level of camp that is unlike anything we have here in the US.
“In Europe, everyone has a Eurovision watch party.
“Some people are legitimately watching while others are making fun of it.
“But everyone tunes in and has to know who won.
“I immediately thought this would make a great backdrop for a movie: it’s a great playground for comedy.
“I assumed I would get beaten to the punch by someone in Europe – but no!”
The Netflix film’s storyline centres around loveable misfits who dream of triumphing on the world’s stage.
Released yesterday (Friday) and with party scenes filmed at Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, Elf favourite Will Ferrell and Mean Girls star Rachel McAdams play Icelandic musicians Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir.
READ MORE: Eurovision party filmed at rock venue Knebworth House
Lars, an innocent but driven man-child, has been experiencing arrested development since losing his mother at a young age.
Then, gathered with his friends and family around the television to watch the 1974 Eurovision finals together, Lars sees Abba perform ‘Waterloo’ and for the first time considers his life beyond grief.
In that moment he decides to dedicate his life to winning the Eurovision Song Contest for Iceland.
Another guest at that disco-era viewing party is Sigrit, an introverted girl who begins singing aloud with Lars – an unexpected development, since she had previously never spoken.
The duo’s bond only grows stronger, but Lars is so possessed with his Eurovision ambitions that he fails to notice when Sigrit falls in love with him.
“Lars and Sigrit come from the fishing village of Húsavík, Iceland,” explains Will Ferrell.
“Sigrit is this music teacher. Lars gives out parking tickets in a town of 3,000 people.
“They have their own band, Fire Saga, and they’re very serious about their music – especially Lars.
“Despite everyone else’s misgivings about Lars, Sigrit is the only person who stands by him.
“She’s fascinated by him and his myopic journey.”
When an accident claims the top performers vying to represent Iceland at Eurovision, Fire Saga is improbably selected instead.
The writers felt that having Icelandic protagonists was a playful, endearing choice, given the country’s small size.
“They’re fish out of water, and the competition is as spectacular as they ever hoped it would be,” says co-writer Ferrell.
“They’re over the moon that there’s a minibar in their hotel room!
“It was key to make them two sweet and naive misfits who – when you finally get to see them perform – actually have some talent.”
A video for Volcano Man from the movie soundtrack was released last month, with the long-haired Lars and Sigrit performing the Euro-pop song in a suitably Icelandic setting.
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