bwilkening

I think I learned about this film when I searched for the highest rated films on Rotten Tomatoes. I saw it had earned nearly universal high marks, so I decided to check it out.

It follows a recovering addict named Anders who is granted a leave from the rehab clinic where he is currently residing to go into Oslo for a job interview. While in Oslo, which he has not visited in some time since going to the clinic, he meets a number of old friends, attempts to reconnect with a former girlfriend, and visits some old haunts.

That is essentially all in the way of plot. What makes the film so affecting are the conversations he has with these friends about life, feelings of regret, lost opportunities, etc. The conversations seemed so authentic and realistic; the writers never gave into the temptation of injecting false notes of sentimentality..

Even though Anders is an addict, this isn't really an "addiction movie." His addiction is always there in the background, but the themes that the film explores are far more universal and general. And the lead actor's performance was very poignant and impressive. I definitely recommend this to anybody interested in a strong dialog and character-driven film.

This is a faux-documentary style film from Australia about a family that recently lost a teenage daughter, Alice, in a drowning accident. The film follows the family (mother, father, son) as they cope with the tragedy and begin to experience strange occurrences that may or may not be of the paranormal variety.

I really enjoyed this film, although admittedly it might not appeal to everybody. There weren't really any jump out of your seat fright moments (okay, maybe one), but there were a number of chilling scenes that literally made the hairs on my arm stand up. The style of the storytelling, plus the effective but not overbearing use of music, really enhanced the creepiness of the paranormal scenes.

The film really excels as an examination of the emotional devastation wrought by losing a child and the feelings of regret and helplessness that they feel in the wake of tragedy. These feelings are kindled as the family learns about secrets that Alice kept from them. There is a big reveal towards the middle of the movie in which the family learns about a very big secret. I suspect that opinion will be divided about this big reveal. I thought it was a bit too unrealistic and scandalous and that it felt out of place in a movie that otherwise cultivated a sense of realism. That would probably be my one major criticism.

One other thing that I haven't seen mentioned much: the director made excellent use of the rugged, beautiful landscape in this corner of Australia. Setting the film in a rural area with rugged, arid hills, endless skies, and starry nights really contributed to the atmosphere the film was attempting to create.