Oslo, August 31st, dir. Joachim Trier, Norway 2011, 95 min., Norwegian with English subtitles, 15
Marking the release of Joachim Trier’s universally acclaimed The Worst Person in the World, we’re screening the other two films in his Oslo Trilogy: Reprise, his feature debut, and this tellingly empathetic portrait, a day in the life of a man searching for a new place in the world.
Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie) is a thirtysomething heroin addict who, following a stay in a rehab centre, seems to have turned a corner. Liberated from his clinic for a day, Anders goes in search of family, friends and work – but the idealised world he hopes to find outside turns out to be judgmental, unforgiving and broken. With a compelling central performance from Danielsen Lie, central to all three films in the trilogy, this touching portrait of a man seeking meaning in the disappointments of his life is a confident and beautifully crafted feature.
no. 236848.