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The Square (2017) movie poster

Characters & Themes

The Square (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 142 min · English
Echo score 70
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Directed by
Ruben Östlund
Starring
Dominic West, Linda Anborg, Elisabeth Moss, Terry Notary, Christopher Læssø, Claes Bang

A respected art curator finds his carefully constructed life and professional reputation challenged after a minor transgression. His institution faces a public relations crisis when a provocative social media campaign sparks debate about art, responsibility, and the complexities of modern society. The film explores the uncomfortable gap between intentions and impact, and the consequences of navigating ethical dilemmas in a highly scrutinized world.

On this page (10)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (4)
  3. 3 Character relationship map
  4. 4 Where & when it takes place
  5. 5 Themes & meaning (4)
  6. 6 Character & meaning questions
  7. 7 Movie threads
  8. 8 Movies like The Square
  9. 9 Categories
  10. 10 Every angle
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4 main characters · contains spoilers

The Square Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of The Square (2017), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Christian (Claes Bang)

    The curator of the X-Royal art museum who projects confidence but hides anxiety about public perception. He navigates moral compromises under pressure, often opting for control and expedience. The crisis exposes the fragility of his authority and his struggle to reconcile art, politics, and personal accountability.

    • 🎭 Ambitious
    • 🧠 Calculating
    • 😟 Anxious
  • Anne (Elisabeth Moss)

    A journalist who interviews Christian and probes his rhetoric, while developing complicated romantic tension. She is both skeptical of museum statements and drawn to deeper meanings behind events. Her perspective frames the narrative's interrogation of truth, consent, and power.

    • 🕵️‍♀️ Investigative
    • 💬 Wry
    • 🧭 Insightful
  • Michael (Christopher Læssø)

    Christian's assistant, practical and unflinching. He assists in tracking the phone and executing plan, revealing a quiet loyalty that becomes a liability as events escalate. He becomes entangled in the ethical fallout of the crisis.

    • 💼 Loyal
    • 🧭 Pragmatic
    • 😐 Reserved
  • Boy with Letter (Elijandro Edouard)

    A young boy whose family accuses him of theft, driven by the letter that triggers the central conflict. He confronts Christian and others, embodying the social volatility and threat behind perceived transgressions. His appearance escalates tensions and forces a moral reckoning.

    • 🧒 Young
    • 🔔 Threatening
    • 🗺️ Traumatized

Last updated: October 27, 2026 at 13:00

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3 characters · 7 connections · contains spoilers

The Square Character Relationship Map

Who is connected to whom in The Square: family, love, friendships, rivalries and hidden ties, colour-coded. Pick a character to see their side of the story, or a connection to see what brings two characters together.

How much of the story to show
CChristianClaes BangAAnneElisabeth MossBWBoy with LetterElijandro Edouard

Last updated: October 27, 2026 at 13:00

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Setting

Where and When Does The Square Take Place?

The setting of The Square (2017): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Present-day, late 2010s

The events unfold in contemporary times, in a European city reliant on digital communication. Smartphones, social media, and viral videos drive the plot and influence how characters are judged. The story emphasizes the pressure of maintaining a flawless public persona in the age of instant commentary.

Location

Stockholm, Sweden, 7-Eleven store, apartment block

The action is centered in Stockholm, with the X-Royal art museum occupying the former Royal Palace as a cultural hub. The narrative also moves through urban spaces around the museum and the surrounding residential blocks, showing a modern cityscape under public scrutiny. The setting contrasts high culture with street-level tensions, highlighting how public opinion shapes artistic institutions.

  • 🎨 Art district
  • 🏛 Museum
  • 🏙 City

Last updated: October 27, 2026 at 13:00

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4 major themes

The Square Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is The Square (2017) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Public Image

    The film interrogates how appearances are manufactured and consumed. A provocative promotional clip thrusts the museum into a thunderstorm of attention, forcing characters to balance spectacle with substance. The square's supposed message clashes with the sensational tactics used to attract audiences. Public perception quickly spirals, revealing the fragility of reputation.

  • Ethics

    The advertising decision to depict violence tests ethical boundaries in art promotion. The tension lies between delivering hard-hitting commentary and respecting the integrity of the artwork's stated message. The resulting backlash questions who bears responsibility for what is shown and how it is framed. The narrative suggests that controversy can eclipse the art itself.

  • Power

    Power flows between museum leadership, the board, and the advertising agency, shaping decisions behind closed doors. The crisis exposes how influence, not merit, often governs public narratives. When consequences arise, accountability is diffused among several stakeholders. The film critiques institutions that prioritize image over ethical considerations.

  • Guilt

    Christian's actions set off a chain of guilt and self-doubt after the confrontation with the boy. He grapples with the morality of his choices, attempting to make amends through an apologetic video and personal outreach. The story tracks his struggle to reconcile professional ambition with personal responsibility. Redemption remains elusive as the public and private spheres clash.

Last updated: October 27, 2026 at 13:00

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Character & theme questions

The Square Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about The Square (2017): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is The Square set?

The Square is set in Stockholm, Sweden. The story centers on the X-Royal art museum, which is portrayed as occupying the former Royal Palace in the city's art district. The film also shows various urban locations including a 7-Eleven store and residential apartment blocks, contrasting high cultural institutions with everyday city life.

  • stockholm
  • sweden
  • x-royal museum
  • setting
  • art museum
  • location
Q2

Is The Square based on a real museum?

While the film uses a fictional name for the museum, the X-Royal is portrayed as occupying Stockholm's former Royal Palace, which in reality houses several museums. The film draws inspiration from the actual Swedish art world and its institutions, creating a believable representation of a major contemporary art museum.

  • x-royal museum
  • real museum
  • stockholm
  • art world
  • inspiration
Q3

When does The Square take place?

The Square is set in the present day, specifically in the late 2010s. The story heavily features smartphones, social media, and viral videos as central plot elements, reflecting a world where public reputation can be instantly shaped by digital communication and instant commentary.

  • present day
  • 2010s
  • modern era
  • social media
  • smartphones
  • digital age
Q4

What is The Square about?

The Square follows a respected art curator whose carefully constructed professional reputation is threatened after a minor transgression. When a provocative promotional video sparks a public relations crisis, he must navigate the gap between his intentions and their impact. The film explores themes of accountability, ethics, and the fragility of public image in the digital age.

  • art curator
  • reputation
  • public image
  • ethics
  • accountability
  • pr crisis
Q5

What are the main themes in The Square?

The Square explores several interconnected themes: Public Image examines how appearances are manufactured and how quickly reputation can unravel; Ethics questions the responsibility of institutions in promoting controversial art; Power reveals how influence shapes decisions behind closed doors; and Guilt follows the protagonist's struggle to reconcile personal responsibility with professional ambition.

  • public image
  • ethics
  • power
  • guilt
  • themes
  • moral compass
  • institutions
Q6

Who is Christian in The Square?

Christian is the main protagonist, portrayed by Claes Bang. He is the curator of the X-Royal art museum who projects confidence and authority but harbors anxiety about public perception. Throughout the film, he faces moral compromises that expose the fragility of his position and force him to confront the gap between his professional ideals and personal actions.

  • christian
  • curator
  • main character
  • claes bang
  • x-royal museum
Q7

What is the X-Royal museum in The Square?

The X-Royal is a fictional contemporary art museum at the center of the story, depicted as occupying Stockholm's former Royal Palace. It serves as a symbol of high culture and institutional authority. The museum's leadership, led by Christian, must navigate a crisis when their controversial marketing campaign draws intense public scrutiny.

  • x-royal museum
  • art museum
  • stockholm
  • contemporary art
  • institution
Q8

How does social media influence the story in The Square?

Social media and digital communication are central to the plot's escalation. A provocative promotional video goes viral, turning a marketing decision into a public relations nightmare. The film shows how instantly shareable content can destroy reputations and how characters must constantly manage their public personas in response to online backlash.

  • social media
  • viral video
  • digital age
  • public scrutiny
  • reputation
  • online backlash
Q9

What does The Square say about ethics in art?

The Square interrogates the ethics of controversial art promotion. When the museum creates a video depicting violence to promote an installation about vulnerability, it raises questions about whether the ends justify the means in art marketing. The resulting backlash suggests that controversy can overshadow the actual artistic message, forcing characters to confront who bears responsibility for how art is presented.

  • ethics
  • art promotion
  • controversy
  • responsibility
  • marketing
  • artistic message
Q10

Who is Anne in The Square?

Anne, played by Elisabeth Moss, is a journalist who interviews Christian and becomes romantically involved with him. She approaches museum statements with skepticism while remaining drawn to the deeper meanings behind events. Her character provides a lens for examining truth, consent, and the power dynamics between media and cultural institutions.

  • anne
  • elisabeth moss
  • journalist
  • interview
  • media
  • power dynamics
Q11

How does The Square explore public image?

The Square critically examines how public image is manufactured and maintained. The protagonist's carefully constructed persona crumbles when a minor incident escalates into public scrutiny. The film shows how appearances in the art world are carefully curated, and how the pressure to maintain a flawless public image leads to moral compromises and hypocrisy.

  • public image
  • reputation
  • appearances
  • curator
  • scrutiny
  • hypocrisy
Q12

How does The Square depict power structures?

The film reveals how power flows between museum leadership, board members, and external agencies. Decisions are made behind closed doors, often based on influence rather than merit. When the crisis erupts, accountability becomes diffused among multiple stakeholders, illustrating the film's critique of institutions that prioritize image over ethical responsibility.

  • power
  • institutions
  • board
  • authority
  • accountability
  • decision making

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Square, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Square tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Satires of Hypocrisy Like The Square

Stories that expose the gap between public ideals and private actions. If you liked the biting social critique in The Square, explore more movies about moral failures in high society. These films often feature characters whose public personas clash with their private actions, leading to awkward, satirical, and intellectually engaging dramas and comedies.

  • satirical
  • unsettling
  • awkward
  • cynical
  • morally ambiguous
  • intellectual
  • Tone: satirical, bittersweet, cynical
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically follow a protagonist in a position of cultural or professional authority. A minor ethical lapse or a moment of hypocrisy triggers a chain of events that exposes their flaws, challenging their worldview and reputation. The story escalates through a series of cringeworthy and awkward situations rather than high-stakes action.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on satirizing social hypocrisy, a steady pacing that allows for escalating discomfort, and a bittersweet tone that balances comedy with critique. They create a specific vibe of intellectual unease and moral scrutiny.

Movies About Professional Downfall Like The Square

Watch as a single mistake triggers a cascade of professional and personal chaos. Fans of The Square's portrayal of a curator's career crisis will enjoy these stories of professional unraveling. These movies explore the consequences of a public relations disaster or ethical lapse, often in steady-paced dramas with a mix of seriousness and dark humor.

  • introspective
  • unsettling
  • morally ambiguous
  • professionals in crisis
  • public scandal
  • consequences
  • Tone: bittersweet, introspective, unsettling
  • Pacing: steady, escalating crisis
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a capable professional facing a public relations crisis or ethical dilemma that spirals out of their control. Subplots often intertwine, reflecting different facets of the central problem. The journey is one of escalating stress and damage control, leading to a resolution that is rarely a clean victory.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a common plot engine: a professional downfall. They are united by a medium intensity, steady pacing that builds tension gradually, and a moderate narrative complexity that explores the ramifications of a central crisis on both a personal and institutional level.

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Movies Like The Square

Similar movies to The Square: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Categories

Movie Lists Featuring The Square

The Square appears in these hand-built movie categories. Each one groups movies by a specific mood, theme or story type, with their plot summaries and endings explained.

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Every angle

The Square (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Square in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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