Oslo, 31. august, 2011

Oslo, 31. august, 2011
Director: Joachim Trier
Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie, Hans Olav Brenner, Ingrid Olav




Stage: local Art Cinema Dvor





Oslo in short: One day in the life of Anders, a young recovering drug addict, who takes a brief leave from his treatment center to interview for a job and catch up with old friends in Oslo. 


Preps: I have missed this one on the last year movie festival Liffe, therefore I am more than curious what it is about. I know the plot, but I am wondering whether this one will seize beyond usual depressive mode of scandinavian pieces that reach our land.


Reality: The piece is dedicated to one single day in a random drug addict's life. The question is, how representative it really is in sense - does it represent how it really is, or is it exaggerated in any way.
To have only one day in the complete piece, you need to make it dynamic. This movie is made this way. The guy is running into people from his life and is exploring if they still are supporting him and how did they take the fact that he isn't average person in his 34. He just got out of the drug recovery clinic and needs way to build his life back.
The movie addresses several levels where someone like this guy needs to climb before the life as he knew it, or said better the life he wants right now, can be built. The challenge is always in trust. Noone from all the relatives or acquaintances trusts him. Nor does someone that is aware he used to take heroin, even though he is off for several months.
I believe in general this is one of the worst decisions one can do for himself. Unfortunately there is no road back. The society throws you out faster than a stone through a window. How obvious in this piece, the poor guy doesn't have anyone to talk to, anyone to get anything for him. Naturally he has lost the faith he needs to have for himself, therefore he is insecure and doesn't feel accepted as it is. The interactions he has with the society disappoint him so he is trying to escape all the time.
In the end the depressive thing about the complete plot is that his escape in the end is to the white line he started the whole issue with.

The movie is dramatic and precise, moral and educative. I believe everyone should see it for psychological reasons. For I am sure that the place where it ends, is brilliantly described in this piece and am even more certain that noone would like to be in his shoes at any point of time.

This is a separate topic, however, a suicide never can be an answer. In this case, it is an option. I can understand how this guy is driven to such a decision. 


My personal rating: 7,5 (superb showoff how tuff a life can be after you have gone out of institution and the society should give you a strong push not to get you back where you were before)

Oslo on IMDB