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Director Joachim Trier makes his English-language debut with the drama Louder Than Bombs, an intimate portrayal of one family's relationship and the struggles they must overcome in the face of death. The film made its debut at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and, coupled with Trier's reputation as an acclaimed filmmaker and visionary, is sure to make waves in the indie/art house film scene.

Isabelle Reed (Isabelle Huppert) a famed photographer who felt most comfortable in war and conflict-ridden areas, was the center of her husband Gene (Gabriel Byrne) and two sons', Jonah (Jesse Eisenberg) and teenager Conrad (Devin Druid), world. No one could have predicted that she would leave behind a familial conflict of her own doing after her untimely and suspicious death. Three years after the accident, Isabelle's works are being thrust into the spotlight when a museum in New York City asks to use her photographs for a retrospective gallery installation. Her husband accepts, as he is slowly moving on with his life and sees this as a great opportunity to honor her. However, he discovers that an accompanying New York Times article speculating Isabelle's actual cause of death is set to run simultaneously with the gallery opening, and threatens to expose the devastating truth that Gene was intent on hiding from his youngest son in order to protect him. He has no choice but to enlist his oldest son Jonah to help him get through another painful confrontation.

Louder Than Bombs is an unwavering, head-on look at the human desire for connection and the need to be understood. It's obvious in Conrad's behavior by acting out and alienating himself from his father's attempt to reconnect, as well as in his brother Jonah's promiscuity, even when he has a wife and newborn baby at home. Gene's attempt to bond with his two sons is affected by his own flaws. This humanistic condition for connection is at the forefront of the film and engages the audience into contemplating how and why we act the way we do, focusing on the relationships within our own family.

What sets Louder Than Bombs apart from other films of recent memory are the surreal moments Trier infuses within the story. Disregarding the traditional method of linear storytelling by shifting between the past and the present, these added moments put visuals to feelings that have a hard time being expressed otherwise. They are not the character's dreams, rather, they are daydreams- or what one wonders about without limitations. These moments are hauntingly beautiful and stand out as works of art on their own.

On the acting front, the assembled cast could not have been better. Jesse Eisenberg is fantastic in the role of Jonah, his trademark quick-witted clamor is controlled and even understated, serving as the voice of reason in the film. Gabriel Byrne plays the widowed Gene with sensitivity as a conflicted father trying to navigate his own direction in life, who is not without his own flaws. Devin Druid embodies the angsty, brooding teenager Conrad to such a believable degree while still holding onto the innocence of being a misunderstood child. These, plus the stellar performances from Isabella Huppert, David Strathairn, and Amy Ryan, truly give the film it's footing.

The title- Louder Than Bombs– suggests an epic, grandiose drama, but instead, what Trier creates is a meditative and restrained film that is not at all loud or brash. It is a psychological trip that leads back to the celebration of one's own uniqueness coming together to fulfill the family dynamic. There is no doubt that Joachim Trier took a risk with Louder Than Bombs, but I believe his creative vision has the potential to pay off tenfold.

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Not as smart as it thinks it is. It's not deep but acts like it is.

A multi-nationally produced film, especially you can call it a European product, but an English language film that takes place in the New York. The story of a husband and two sons of the famed war photographer who recently died in a car crash. So the film is focused to tell how they are going to cope with their loss, especially the little brother who has differences with his father. They all kind of drifted away from each other, but without an alternate they have to come together to go through it.

This is not a usual mourning theme, but sometimes I felt they forgot they're in mourning. Because the narration quickly shifts to various topics like the birth of a child, a new affair and trying to impress the girl whom the boy has a crush. So with all this, I completely witnessed a different type of film than what it had said. That's not bad, just a refreshing and with constant moving back and forth in in time to disclose some key events.

Mainly the portrayal splits into three to cover those three family members and each has its own specialty. Something like a film for older people, middle-aged and teens, all the these contents smartly joined together. Apart from the good show from the cast, the director did his best as usual, but this is not up to the par with his other works. For a watch this film definitely would do good. Since it's not a Hollywood, you won't have to worry about American film clichés, because it was developed much better and ends better.

6/10

Trier's English-languaged debut has been praised by many, but NOT by me. This is the essence of mediocrity: forgettable, not moving, not interesting, not dramatic. There is really no point to this. The cinematography is beautiful, the editing is quite inspired and interesting, but the script is awfully bland and the otherwise fantastic actors and actresses are wasted and utilized in a horrid way. Eisenberg is just plain old Eisenberg; Byrne can't save his character; and worst of all: Huppert is reduced to a boring character with no real depth or energy. It's all so incredibly lame. There are a few subplots in it, but it doesn't feel like it has a real plot or story that can drive the additions. Besides, the entire thing with the youngest son is that he likes to play Skyrim and he writes bad poetry that brings him success with a girl (realistic much??). This entire premise is horrible and made me sad for whoever wrote this uninspired crap: it's a big bowl of nothing. It's worse than nothing, it's boring, a void, a complete waste of time and Huppert. I hated it and almost couldn't finish it. Besides, a bunch of morals to the story did bother me: none of the characters are likable, but I feel like they were meant to be. The journey is not a journey, but a stagnant and static group of characters in a dull setup. It's not bad. It's just mediocre. Incredibly mediocre. Normally, the quite impressive productive forces behind a movie like this can make it count, but this one will be forgotten completely in five years - only remembered by the handful of people that could relate to one of the characters. I couldn't... Five out of ten. And maybe four on a bad day.

Acclaimed Norwegian filmmakers Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt has done another profound film which will be talked about in years to come. This film was chosen for the main program at this years Cannes festival, after Trier's last movie was shown in the festivals' "Un certain regard"- program. Joachim Triers granddad, Erik Løchen, participated in the main program with his acclaimed "Jakten"/"The hunt" in 1960, and Lars von Trier is also said to be a distant relative, though I haven't found the proof of that.

In this drama we meet the men, and the woman (Isabelle Huppert) of which their life has circled around. The mother died a couple of years ago in a car accident after colliding with a meeting trailer. The husband (Gabriel Byrne), which is a teacher, and the two sons has moved on, and we come into their lives when there is to be a memorial exhibition for her, when the oldest son (Jesse Eisenberg) just see his first kid being born at the hospital, and the youngest (Devin Druid) is seemingly living in his own world and in the video games he plays.

The film must be interpreted by each viewer, and will mean different thing to each one giving time to this film, but I would say the film is about awareness in your own life, as well as the difficulty in living together with other persons, especially if you don't have the communication needed.

The film is also from time to time bringing you into the thought of all the main persons, and especially into the youngest son's stream of consciousness of weird thoughts. The three men communicate, but are all keeping secrets from each other. These secrets seem more or less profound for each of them, and are all stories which should be told. How this all unravels is the excitement and tension of the film.

Well, go watch it! The film has capability to both be life changing and food for thought, and I liked it on that basis. I was expecting the film to have a stronger emotional impact on me, which disappointed me a little, but it sure will do that to others, depending on life experiences.

The style has obviously been very influenced by several great film makers, amongst them, some of the French masters. An obvious reference to me was Louis Malle's masterpiece "Le feu follet", and Luis Bunuel's "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie", but there's many more.

We've just seen the start of the magic to come out of the friendship between Joachim Trier and fellow script writer and filmmaker Eskil Vogt. I sense there are great films to come out of this cooperation.

Well worth a watch, but don't expect an action movie. Be ready to use your brain.