Armand

Armand and the other boy, the centre of the story here, are absent. They are rendered psychologically dead by psychologically dead - or insane - parents.

What began as a gritty drama, turned out to be psychological horror. I suppose the Scandinavians are good at living the unconscious, manifesting the darkness. A bleeding nose in one of the characters signals early on that we are to spiral down, nauseated, into the madness of all the "adults". The feeling of vertigo is subtle and perhaps more terrifying than Hitchock in its normalised elusiveness. Empty corridors, staircases, and silent screams. A children's choir where children are voiceless. Two mothers who couldn't be more repulsive. Where does evil begin? "If you look at our image, you'll see only chaos. If you dig deeper, you'll find nothing else."

The debut feature film of Halfdan Ullman Tønder, grandson of Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullman, is a partly allegorical, partly naturalistic dissection of 21st century parenting and educational system, and their handling of an "unfortunate incident" between two 6-year-old boys. Renate Reinsve is the eccentric mother of Armand, the alleged perpetrator in said incident, and as she finds herself scrutinized by her son's teacher, the school administration and the parents of the other boy, the film slowly descends into an interrelational abyss - a limbo from which no good things can ever emerge. Ullman Tønder's purpose and position are strong, and so is his artistic expression, which is discernibly inspired by the works of his grandfather, and perhaps also to a degree by Kubrick. And although the narrative as such at times feels bumpy and the film unevenly edited, Armand is in many ways a return and homage to pure cinema, for which it should be hailed.

A mother, played by Renate Reinsve, is called to the school because of an incident involving her son Armand and his best friend.

Written and directed by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, the film offers a good premise, one that manages to capture your attention as well as its beginning when we share Elisabeth's intrigue as to what happened with her son. Once in the school, she meets with the other boy's parents and the school personnel, and information is delivered, allowing us to grasp the extent of the dramatic event Armand is accused of.

The problem with the movie is that a theme like this rarely allows for a runtime close to two hours. Sure, as long as the story progresses, it is clear its aspirations go beyond its initial premise. But the execution, the way to tell what it wants, is very ineffective and will keep you anxiously waiting for this yawn-fest to end.

It is full of peculiarities that might strike as funny or strange: people hysterically laughing when the subject being talked about is of a serious matter, people dancing out of nowhere in the school corridors resembling bad performance art, etc.

Renate Reinsve delivers another good performance, as well as the rest of the cast, but besides that and the cinematography, Armand has little to offer other than a regret to go back in time and choose another movie to watch.

This had so much potential and got off to such a solid start. Which was why it was a disappointment when the storytelling went off the rails in the last hour or last third of the film. At about two hours long, the elements that were included in that final hour that made the film go haywire could have been completely removed and the end result would have been a fantastic movie. The first part of Armand was gripping, as the audience watches the main character go through a roller coaster of a day with school administrators after being called in due to an altercation at her son's school. She is alone in trying to advocate for her son as she faced his accusers, poking holes in the claims made against him. The acting was great, and the characters were realistic and interesting. The moments of tension and discomfort were captured in a way that I think most of us could identify with. Where this fell apart for me was when the movie took tangents by including some scenes that felt pretentious to the extreme, making no sense and turning a story and characters that had been believable into something cringe, nonsensical, and plodding. I found myself fast-forward/skipping through those moments, as they added nothing to the story and were too annoying to put up with. I was getting angry by that point. It's unfortunate because this could have been a four-star film for me, but because it veered so wildly off course in the end, it dragged the entire thing down. Huge miss. Video review on my YouTube channel.

"Armand," the directorial debut of Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, is an exercise in simmering tension and discomfort-a film that traps us, much like its characters, in a confined space to explore a deep emotional abyss. Most of the narrative unfolds in an empty Norwegian school, where a couple and a mother meet to discuss an incident involving their children. With its restrained approach and dialogue-driven focus, the film builds a solid foundation of psychological drama but doesn't always manage to sustain this balance throughout its runtime.

The first act is where the film shines brightest. Tøndel shows an impressive command of atmospheric tension, using loaded dialogue and minimalist performances to create an uncomfortably intimate setting. Renate Reinsve, in yet another magnetic performance, plays Elisabeth, a mother fiercely defending her son while grappling with layers of doubt and desperation. From the outset, she conveys a complex emotional range: laughter that turns into sobs, glances that seem to search for answers in empty corners. Ellen Dorrit Petersen and Endre Hellestveit also bring depth to Sarah and Anders, the parents of the supposed "victim" in the incident. They expertly navigate a tightrope between compassion and repressed hostility. This trio of performances elevates the narrative, giving weight to conversations that might otherwise feel ordinary.

The school setting becomes a character in its own right. Its dark hallways and lifeless classrooms mirror the characters' mental states, as if the building itself embodies their repressed emotions. This use of space is one of the film's strongest points, turning a simple location into a stage brimming with tension and symbolism. Tøndel makes full use of every corner to convey claustrophobia and isolation, suggesting that even in a room full of people, these characters are alone in their internal struggles.

However, "Armand" falters when it strays from its linear narrative and ventures into more abstract territory. While the transitions to visual and surreal sequences are artistically executed, they feel out of place within the realistic framework established early on. These moments of abstraction, no matter how visually stunning, dilute the film's emotional impact and make the story feel less cohesive. The tonal shift is jarring, as if the director is trying to overload an already idea-heavy film with an additional, unnecessary layer.

Even so, Tøndel's screenplay keeps the audience invested. The gradual unveiling of secrets, always teetering between the explicit and the implied, holds our curiosity. But this approach also requires patience, as the deliberate pacing can feel stagnant at times. The film flirts with climactic moments but never fully delivers on them, leaving the tension unresolved.

Despite its flaws, "Armand" is an ambitious debut that deserves attention. Renate Reinsve, in particular, delivers a performance that carries the film, balancing fragility and strength in a hypnotic way. The supporting performances and Tøndel's atmospheric direction also warrant praise, showing that he has a promising future in filmmaking.

Overall, "Armand" is an intriguing exploration of guilt, grief, and the complexities of human relationships that hits more often than it misses. However, its attempts to juggle too many styles and themes end up diluting some of the potency that could have been achieved with a more focused approach. It's the kind of film that lingers in your mind, sparking reflection-for better or worse-even after the credits roll.