David O'ConnellNORTH @ The Melbourne International Film Festival
July 28th 2009 06:11
Fancy a Norwegian black comedy/road movie with flashes of oddball genius in the vein of the Coen brothers and their off-kilter view of the world? That’s exactly what former documentary filmmaker Rune Denstad Langlo’s feature debut turns out to be. North is remarkable in a number of ways; both humane and occasionally - in its eccentric digressions - side-splittingly funny, it manages to cross the border between humour and pathos without skipping a beat.
Jomar (Anders Baasmo Christiansen) is a disconsolate former skier, mired in a deep depression and plagued by panic attacks. Now he manages a remote, sparsely-populated ski park, a job he despises. Recovering from a breakdown after the departure of his girlfriend, things are so bad he even visits the local psychiatric ward, begging to be taken back as a patient.
When his girlfriend’s new partner shows up on his doorstep, words aren’t necessary at first; fists fly before later, a healing embrace; the two old friends expose a few raw wounds and home truths, including the revelation of a young son Jomar fathered before the bust-up. When his obsession with National Geographic channel’s Tunnel Disaster Week inadvertently leads to his home being reduced to cinders, Jomar flees on his snowmobile, spurred by a need to make recompense for the failings in his personal life.
At the same time putting an end to his introspective, idle ruminations, his undertaking becomes a hopeful odyssey to the north through the numbing but blissful white wonderland of the Norwegian winter. Spectacular vistas become common as Jomar continues his cross-country trek between rest points.
Along the way he meets a series of colourful characters. There's a bored teenage girl, Lotte (Marte Aunemo), living with her stern, disapproving grandmother who nurses him through a bout of snow blindness; an amenable young guy (Mads Sjogard Pettersen) who's really craving friendship; and a wise and crafty old man (Lars Olsen) living in a tent, connected to his snowplough by a chain around his ankle. Each encounter produces inspired comedic moments, including some very peculiar ones!
Beautiful to look at thanks to Philip Ogaard’s cinematography, North revels in its geographical uniqueness and Jomar’s bursts of motion are also greatly aided by a brilliantly conceived score from Ola Kvernberg with its catchy country music infusions.
Every performance - many from non-professionals - is finely tuned, but Christiansen, a bear of a man, provides a memorable presence as the scowling, wounded but lovable Jomar. The other main attraction is certainly Erland Loe’s screenplay which, on countless occasions, is able to switch gears at will, without a single false note drawing attention to itself. For me, that’s a sure sign of quality and this is a film that deserves to be seen by a wide audience.
Staggeringly, North isn’t currently slated for a general release but hopefully that’s rectified. The final wordless scene of the film is worth waiting for too - though a sublimely simple shot, it's as perfect an ending as I’ve ever seen.
Jomar (Anders Baasmo Christiansen) is a disconsolate former skier, mired in a deep depression and plagued by panic attacks. Now he manages a remote, sparsely-populated ski park, a job he despises. Recovering from a breakdown after the departure of his girlfriend, things are so bad he even visits the local psychiatric ward, begging to be taken back as a patient.
When his girlfriend’s new partner shows up on his doorstep, words aren’t necessary at first; fists fly before later, a healing embrace; the two old friends expose a few raw wounds and home truths, including the revelation of a young son Jomar fathered before the bust-up. When his obsession with National Geographic channel’s Tunnel Disaster Week inadvertently leads to his home being reduced to cinders, Jomar flees on his snowmobile, spurred by a need to make recompense for the failings in his personal life.
At the same time putting an end to his introspective, idle ruminations, his undertaking becomes a hopeful odyssey to the north through the numbing but blissful white wonderland of the Norwegian winter. Spectacular vistas become common as Jomar continues his cross-country trek between rest points.
Mads Sjogard Pettersen with Jomar (Anders Baasmo Christiansen)
Along the way he meets a series of colourful characters. There's a bored teenage girl, Lotte (Marte Aunemo), living with her stern, disapproving grandmother who nurses him through a bout of snow blindness; an amenable young guy (Mads Sjogard Pettersen) who's really craving friendship; and a wise and crafty old man (Lars Olsen) living in a tent, connected to his snowplough by a chain around his ankle. Each encounter produces inspired comedic moments, including some very peculiar ones!
Beautiful to look at thanks to Philip Ogaard’s cinematography, North revels in its geographical uniqueness and Jomar’s bursts of motion are also greatly aided by a brilliantly conceived score from Ola Kvernberg with its catchy country music infusions.
Every performance - many from non-professionals - is finely tuned, but Christiansen, a bear of a man, provides a memorable presence as the scowling, wounded but lovable Jomar. The other main attraction is certainly Erland Loe’s screenplay which, on countless occasions, is able to switch gears at will, without a single false note drawing attention to itself. For me, that’s a sure sign of quality and this is a film that deserves to be seen by a wide audience.
Staggeringly, North isn’t currently slated for a general release but hopefully that’s rectified. The final wordless scene of the film is worth waiting for too - though a sublimely simple shot, it's as perfect an ending as I’ve ever seen.
| 69 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic