La jeune femme à l'aiguille

THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE (2024) Nominated for the Best International Film Oscar.

Magnus von Horn's dark tale of a desperate young woman in the waning days of WWI is loosely based on a true notorious crime in Denmark.

Karoline (a gritty Vic Carmen Sonne) is delivered several harsh blows including the return of her husband Peter (Besir Zeciri) who graphically bears the wounds of war. Through a series of unfortunate incidents, Karoline ends up in the employ of Dagmar (an excellent Trine Dyrholm) who brokers babies from similarly troubled women. Her tagline: "You've done the right thing" becomes more chilling as the movie progresses.

Cinematographer Michal Dymek shoots in a sharp monochrome in a boxy 1:50 aspect ratio. The locations are well chosen to convincingly portray a small village in war-torn Europe. The jagged aggressive score by Frederikke Hoffmeier effectively keeps the viewer on edge. Von Horn's direction is stark but stylish. His screenplay with Line Langebeck is a bit more problematic. It's impressive in parts, but too episodic. As a result, character motivations aren't always clear nor fully convincing.

GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE tells a brutal but grimly compelling tale. The acting is very good and its visually captivating. It may end up being a bit less than the sum of its parts, but there is no question that it has a visceral impact.