This day-in-the-life film about a recovering heroin addict is indeed sobering. Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie), who is 34, has been clean for ten
months, which allows him clearly to see the world before him, but not
his place in it. Intelligent and well-read, he believes himself better than the junkies in his program, who would, he supposes, be satisfied with menial jobs and a simple life. The story (based on a 1931 novella by Pierre Drieu La Rochelle) follows him on his first whole day
on leave from an in-patient clinic. There are no flashbacks, but director Joachim Trier
naturally works some of his history into the events of the day, which include
seeing old friends, and a job interview.
Two things stand out. One is the way Trier suggests the emptiness Anders is feeling, beginning the movie with a quiet (music-free) interlude where Anders is alone. Later, he sits in a café; we here snippets of conversations that sound significant to the participants, yet feel nothing because we don’t know these people. The other thing, for me at least, is how Trier makes us wonder whether life is predestined or contingent. Perhaps a different sort of childhood would have led Anders to avoid the last several years. Or not. Perhaps Anders is seeking rescue, and the results of his attempted connections — with his friend, with the job interviewer, with his sister, with the girlfriend who gave up on him — will make a difference, or perhaps his own nature and flaws are all that matters. The ending does not answer that and is therefore not immediately satisfying. But the question is skillfully asked.
viewed 8/9/12 7:25 at Ritz Bourse and reviewed 8/13/12
No comments:
Post a Comment