Nord

North is the story of a 30 year old man that says enough is enough. Suffering from anxiety, he's a visibly distraught fellow; appearing lethargic and care-free. After hearing unwanted news from his doctor, a heated discussion with a past friend, and an entirely preventable fire that most likely ruins his livelihood…he takes matters into his own hands, and takes off, heading North to where his hope waits.

The theme here isn't hidden, it's smack right in your face. When you feel like life is giving you a difficult time, and that you're the only one going through such misfortunes, you're not. There are people out there who have it difficult as well, but they continue, even with their unwavering conditions, to persevere and go on. Noticing and appreciating life, and accepting what life gives you, and everything that it has to offer is what North is all about.

At it's exterior, beautiful Norwegian arctic conditions play the backdrop here, which are blanketed by a folk-travel inspired soundtrack that gives you warmth as you watch our lead trek through the cold. And when including the feeling of isolation that comes with the amazing landscape, you're given even more satisfaction than just what the story itself has to offer. Our leading actor, a heavy built and emotional lumberjack of a man, leads and shares the film with a few side-characters, and all deliver their performances as well as you'd hope. Some making you question their behavior, and some where you almost immediately come to sympathize for.

To me, as I mentioned above, Nord was about appreciating life. And with that said, I'm not entirely sure if this movie is for everyone, as some people may just not relate to the deeper aspects here. Some people also just aren't empathetic cinematically, especially with such simple approaches. But if you do appreciate a simple story that mixes charm, beauty and many chances to ponder, you should come out of the film as happy as I did.

I saw this last month at the 2010 Palm Springs International film Festival. This is a quirky dark comedy written for the screen by Erlend Loe who also wrote a book that another great quirky Norwegian film was adapted from recently called in it's English title Gone with the Woman. Nord reminded me an an abstract sense of the film Little Big Man where the lead character goes through a journey meeting a wide variety of people along the way in wonderful small on screen roles with even an old wise and worldly Saami fisherman waiting to die instead of an old wise and worldly native American waiting to die. Jomar (Anders Bassmo Christiansen) is a former skier who works at a ski hill and has battled alcoholism and has been hospitalized with psychiatric problems since he lost his girlfriend five years earlier. After a fight with his former best friend Lasse (Kyree Hellum) he learns his former girlfriend had a son by him so he sets out on a snowmobile for an improbably long journey of a few hundred miles to northern Norway near the arctic circle. He meets along the way some very isolated people in Lotte (Marte Aumemo) and her grandmother, Ulrik (Mads Sjøgård Pettersen), and Ailo and his granddaughter. (Lars Olsen). Excellent winter scape cinematography by Phillip Øgaard and smartly directed by Rune Denstad Langlo this is not a long film and it's definitely worth a look. I would give this an 8.5 out of 10 and recommend it.

Unassuming little movie about a sad man who has trouble fitting in, no matter where he goes. Leaving a trail of smoking shacks and burning barns, Jomar is headed north on his snow mobile to seek out his son. He doesn't always travel in a straight line, but who said you have to? On the way, he meets his share of strangers, some of them friendly, others not so friendly. But then, Jomar isn't the most easy-going of visitors himself. You might say he is on an educational journey, but the lessons aren't all that clear. Among other things, he finds out about a unique way to get drunk that involves a razor, a patch of sandpaper, and a tampon. He also learns about the ancient art of springtime suicide as practiced by the tribal elders of Troms County. Cheating death more than once in the unforgiving wilderness of Northern Norway, he is finally given back to life. - Nice, eclectic soundtrack with some rare roots tracks.

North is a drama out of Norway, and from the looks of it, a pretty desolate part of the country. Jomar is a 30 year old recovering from some traumatic experience. He used to ski, now he can barely get off the couch to do his job, which is not very taxing. His woman left him, after trying to be patient and help him get his act together for some time. Jomar finds out he has a son with her, who is now four. That and another happenstance spur him to head North to find Linnea and meet this kid. Jomar is snowmobiling through back country. When he finds a house or fishing hut or tent, he stops and has various encounters with the people. It makes me concerned for my Norwegian heritage that Jomar and most of the people he meets seem to be completely nuts. He also ends up setting stuff on fire, on occasion. It's a disturbing, yet interesting, road trip. The audience at my screening seemed to find a lot of it hilarious, while I was busy being concerned. I give North a 7 out of 10.

This film got highly praised at the Berlin festival before it's cinema release in Norway, winning two of the main prizes. It also became a huge hit at the festival, with tickets going on the black market.

Well, the film isn't a blockbuster. It's a nice, though tragic, but warm story about 30 year old Jomar, not particularly successful in his life. Actually his life stinks, and he has problems. And he knows it. Lying to his shrink, living unhealthy, and not caring about anything. In fact so uncaring, that he finds himself burning down the ski center where he works, almost forcing him to look somewhere else for the meaning of his life.

So Jomar goes off on a 900 kilometers trip up North to find what is supposed to be his four year old son, of which he didn't know about, before slapping his best friend who'd run off with his girlfriend some time ago.

On this trip he meets all kinds of lonely people, all having some kinds of wisdom to offer. And Jomar? Does he change their lives? Maybe he does...

This story by Norwegian master-writer Erlend Loe, gives a great feeling of both great winter-nature, and human understanding. It'll be seen upon as exotic by most foreigners, and the film has some scenes you'll never forget.

This film is another example of how great Norwegian storytelling on film has become. Great acting, also from the amateurs. No fake Hollywood stuff here. Pure Nordic realistic storytelling with a hint of humor. If you liked the films of Bent Hamer and Coen-brothers, you also like this.

The only thing dragging down is the film being too short. We'd actually like Jomars trip to be longer. And that's a sign of a great road move. Or rather, a great off-road movie, since the film is more going on off-road, than on road. I still think I'll put it in the genre of road-movies.

Another spot on Norwegian film! What a gem!