The sober rationality of the young Norwegian intellectual classes provides a perfectly blank canvas on which to paint the conversely complex neuroses of the anti-hero, Anders. Anders is an intelligent and gifted opinionist and writer, but his addiction has left him riddled with insecurity. The film focuses on the most pivotal moment of this young man's life as he's tragically stuck between recovery and regression: that moment is both sprinkled with glimmers of hope and drenched in melancholia. Anders' contradiction is the eternal paradox of the addict, and perhaps Trier is presenting it as an allegory of the modern human condition. Anders Danielsen Lie gives an incredible performance as the enigmatic hero and the acting throughout is consistently authentic, convincing and engrossing. The soft-focus cinematography (Jakob Ihre) works well with a particularly engaging sound design which, along with very conscious direction, editing and general production design, makes for technically masterful cinema with an aesthetic that is both selectively minimal and enjoyably rich. Oslo is a tragedy. Its simple, melancholic tone and metropolitan landscapes make the film undeniably reminiscent of the French New Wave - think Hiroshima Mon Amour in present day Oslo. The film is minimal and stylized, presenting social realism in an artistic form without losing any of its dramatic potency to surrealism. Utterly convincing and captivating: an instant indie classic.
53 Reviews
Brutal, straight up realsim about getting the monkey off your back
secondtake19 May 2015
Oslo, October 31st (2011)
A highly realistic, intimate view of a young man who has completed a drug abuse program and is trying to rejoin his life. It's a rough ride, sometimes boring, sometimes raw, but it's the real thing, and if you have an interest in this kind of common problem without watching a documentary, this is the movie.
Though set in Oslo, there is a universal quality to all of this. Yes, the leading man, Anders, has the usual problem getting jobs. But that's just the beginning. It's about friends who want to help and friends who expect him to help them be wild. It's about old girlfriends, new girlfriends, parties where you can't drink, family that wasn't adequate, and on and on.
And the temptation of real drugs, beyond drink.
It's odd to realize, but I think the bottom line is that most young people live in a culture that's on the edge, on purpose and for good reason. And there is a percentage of people who can't handle that, who need to go over the edge, and will always go over the edge. Some of those people understand it early and save themselves, others never can. And life is a series of crises.
This isn't a feel good movie about a man who succeeds (I'm not saying here if he succeeds or not—just that it's not some sunny happiness after a round with the devil). This is about what it might be like to be in the shoes of Anders, or anyone like him, and how almost impossible it is to rise up. And his friends and family are partly to blame, sad to admit.
The final few minutes of the film are poetic—elegiac might be a better word—and the opening to the film is similarly daring and edgy. It's odd and perhaps too bad the the middle—the bulk of it—is more prosaic. It's good, it's really good, but without the poetry we are sure to sink into empathy and sadness, watching what is surely so believable it is, somewhere, all too real.
A highly realistic, intimate view of a young man who has completed a drug abuse program and is trying to rejoin his life. It's a rough ride, sometimes boring, sometimes raw, but it's the real thing, and if you have an interest in this kind of common problem without watching a documentary, this is the movie.
Though set in Oslo, there is a universal quality to all of this. Yes, the leading man, Anders, has the usual problem getting jobs. But that's just the beginning. It's about friends who want to help and friends who expect him to help them be wild. It's about old girlfriends, new girlfriends, parties where you can't drink, family that wasn't adequate, and on and on.
And the temptation of real drugs, beyond drink.
It's odd to realize, but I think the bottom line is that most young people live in a culture that's on the edge, on purpose and for good reason. And there is a percentage of people who can't handle that, who need to go over the edge, and will always go over the edge. Some of those people understand it early and save themselves, others never can. And life is a series of crises.
This isn't a feel good movie about a man who succeeds (I'm not saying here if he succeeds or not—just that it's not some sunny happiness after a round with the devil). This is about what it might be like to be in the shoes of Anders, or anyone like him, and how almost impossible it is to rise up. And his friends and family are partly to blame, sad to admit.
The final few minutes of the film are poetic—elegiac might be a better word—and the opening to the film is similarly daring and edgy. It's odd and perhaps too bad the the middle—the bulk of it—is more prosaic. It's good, it's really good, but without the poetry we are sure to sink into empathy and sadness, watching what is surely so believable it is, somewhere, all too real.
Great little foreign film
bwilkening19 January 2013
I think I learned about this film when I searched for the highest rated films on Rotten Tomatoes. I saw it had earned nearly universal high marks, so I decided to check it out.
It follows a recovering addict named Anders who is granted a leave from the rehab clinic where he is currently residing to go into Oslo for a job interview. While in Oslo, which he has not visited in some time since going to the clinic, he meets a number of old friends, attempts to reconnect with a former girlfriend, and visits some old haunts.
That is essentially all in the way of plot. What makes the film so affecting are the conversations he has with these friends about life, feelings of regret, lost opportunities, etc. The conversations seemed so authentic and realistic; the writers never gave into the temptation of injecting false notes of sentimentality..
Even though Anders is an addict, this isn't really an "addiction movie." His addiction is always there in the background, but the themes that the film explores are far more universal and general. And the lead actor's performance was very poignant and impressive. I definitely recommend this to anybody interested in a strong dialog and character-driven film.
It follows a recovering addict named Anders who is granted a leave from the rehab clinic where he is currently residing to go into Oslo for a job interview. While in Oslo, which he has not visited in some time since going to the clinic, he meets a number of old friends, attempts to reconnect with a former girlfriend, and visits some old haunts.
That is essentially all in the way of plot. What makes the film so affecting are the conversations he has with these friends about life, feelings of regret, lost opportunities, etc. The conversations seemed so authentic and realistic; the writers never gave into the temptation of injecting false notes of sentimentality..
Even though Anders is an addict, this isn't really an "addiction movie." His addiction is always there in the background, but the themes that the film explores are far more universal and general. And the lead actor's performance was very poignant and impressive. I definitely recommend this to anybody interested in a strong dialog and character-driven film.
Beautiful, true and devastating
maddo165 November 2011
The most hard-hitting and resonant film I've seen in a long time, Oslo August 31st sets itself up with serene, fuzzy home footage and tales of blissful memories spent in the titular city of Oslo only to cut to the bleak life of Anders, a former heroin addict on his first day of life out of rehab. Searching for a meaning and a purpose in this new life he finds little in his friends' bourgeois city routines, which he neither desires nor feels he could achieve anyway, and their claims that "it'll all get better" fail to move a mind constantly probing and analysing the reality of his situation.
He soon undergoes an intense conversation in a park overlooking the city with his closest friend, wherein Anders pours out his thoughts of the time the two have spent apart, and the precision of their rapport matched with the lead's acting make the whole scene feel horribly real.
Anders wanders the often-empty city like a ghost, sitting in a café surrounded by the hollow dreams of others ("Plant a tree. Swim with dolphins. Write a great novel") and dwelling on the weight of his own existence. In two minds whether to leave the city, increasingly desperate and always beautifully shot, we follow him through the night until sunrise, when Anders appears to us in a sequence at his most unpredictable.
Undeniably disturbing, yet intimate and tender, this is a film that already feels close to my heart, one unafraid to bring up difficult questions and brilliantly able to provoke an idea of the absurdity of it all.
He soon undergoes an intense conversation in a park overlooking the city with his closest friend, wherein Anders pours out his thoughts of the time the two have spent apart, and the precision of their rapport matched with the lead's acting make the whole scene feel horribly real.
Anders wanders the often-empty city like a ghost, sitting in a café surrounded by the hollow dreams of others ("Plant a tree. Swim with dolphins. Write a great novel") and dwelling on the weight of his own existence. In two minds whether to leave the city, increasingly desperate and always beautifully shot, we follow him through the night until sunrise, when Anders appears to us in a sequence at his most unpredictable.
Undeniably disturbing, yet intimate and tender, this is a film that already feels close to my heart, one unafraid to bring up difficult questions and brilliantly able to provoke an idea of the absurdity of it all.
A powerful and unforgettable achievement
howard.schumann13 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Joachim Trier's brilliant Oslo, August 31st opens with a lovely montage of Oslo, Norway showing its quaint cobblestone streets, sidewalks where children are playing, and a captivating view of a nearby lake. As we watch long shots seen in a car ride from the viewpoint of the passengers, we hear voice-overs talking about their memories and impressions of Oslo. Many recollections are good, some are bad, but all are personal and intimate, the stuff of life, not of movies. Based on Pierre Drieu La Rochelle's 1931 novel "Le Feu Follet," Oslo, August 31st takes place in a 24-hour period, following recovering drug addict 34-year-old Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie) as he takes on his first job interview in years after being given a one-day release from a state-run rehabilitation center.
All is not going well, however. As Anders explains during a group therapy session, he hasn't felt much of anything since becoming sober. Two weeks away from completing his rehab, in the morning of the interview he fills his pockets with stones and jumps into the water of a lake in an attempt to drown himself. Unsuccessful in his attempt, he must confront his job interview that afternoon as an Editorial Assistant for a publishing company. The interview goes well and Anders responses are articulate and quite insightful and the employer seems impressed. When the applicant is asked to fill in the gaps in his resume for the last five years, however, he is unable to do so, admitting that he was a drug addict, using cocaine, heroin, DMT, and also alcohol, providing details not requested by the interviewer.
Anders sets himself up to fail and, without waiting to see how his past has affected his chances for employment he grabs his resume out of the employer's hand and walks away from the interview. Rather than return to the center immediately, he visits old friends and makes an afternoon date with his sister Nina, but, unwilling to confront the pain in their relationship, sends a surrogate instead. One of the most moving segments of the film is Ander's extended conversation with former close friend Thomas (Hans Olav Brenner), now a Professor of Literature and married with a young child. In a conversation that is devastatingly real, Thomas tells Anders that he would be crushed if Anders did anything stupid and asks how he can support him.
He tells Anders, however, that his parents are selling their home because of his financial debts, a fact that, no matter how true, does not support his friend in regaining his self-image. Later in the conversation, the talk shifts to Thomas' lack of joy in his own relationship as he wonders what happened to the promise of his youth, not a reassuring message for the struggling Anders. When Thomas tells him "It will get better. It will work out." Anders looks at him with a knowing smile and says, "Except it won't." Looking like a somewhat hip, almost tough young professional with an open leather jacket, Anders then walks around the town with a detached look on his face, more of an observer than a participant in the world around him.
Sitting in an open air café watching people pass by and listening to other people's conversations, there is a palpable sense of isolation so deep and so penetrating that it can tear right into the heart of any viewer who has experienced feelings of alienation. Night clubs, parties, and raves occupy Anders as he starts to fall back into old habits. Though he tells a young student that he sleeps with after one of the parties, "Everything will be forgotten," it is obvious that he does not believe it. He desperately tries to contact his ex-girlfriend Iselin in New York, leaving three messages that tell her he has changed and that he still loves her, but his calls are not returned.
Honest, reflective, insightful, and intimate, Oslo, August 31st is a powerful and unforgettable achievement and Lie's performance is towering. Trier does not allow sentimentality to intrude on his character study of a lost soul whose pain cannot be hidden, nor the hurt he has caused others. We can see the kindness in Anders' heart but not the strength, or feelings of self-worth, and we just want to reach out to him to tell him to listen to the words of the poet Rilke, "And if the earthly no longer knows your name, whisper to the silent earth: I'm flowing. To the flashing water say: I am." Sadly, we cannot get through.
All is not going well, however. As Anders explains during a group therapy session, he hasn't felt much of anything since becoming sober. Two weeks away from completing his rehab, in the morning of the interview he fills his pockets with stones and jumps into the water of a lake in an attempt to drown himself. Unsuccessful in his attempt, he must confront his job interview that afternoon as an Editorial Assistant for a publishing company. The interview goes well and Anders responses are articulate and quite insightful and the employer seems impressed. When the applicant is asked to fill in the gaps in his resume for the last five years, however, he is unable to do so, admitting that he was a drug addict, using cocaine, heroin, DMT, and also alcohol, providing details not requested by the interviewer.
Anders sets himself up to fail and, without waiting to see how his past has affected his chances for employment he grabs his resume out of the employer's hand and walks away from the interview. Rather than return to the center immediately, he visits old friends and makes an afternoon date with his sister Nina, but, unwilling to confront the pain in their relationship, sends a surrogate instead. One of the most moving segments of the film is Ander's extended conversation with former close friend Thomas (Hans Olav Brenner), now a Professor of Literature and married with a young child. In a conversation that is devastatingly real, Thomas tells Anders that he would be crushed if Anders did anything stupid and asks how he can support him.
He tells Anders, however, that his parents are selling their home because of his financial debts, a fact that, no matter how true, does not support his friend in regaining his self-image. Later in the conversation, the talk shifts to Thomas' lack of joy in his own relationship as he wonders what happened to the promise of his youth, not a reassuring message for the struggling Anders. When Thomas tells him "It will get better. It will work out." Anders looks at him with a knowing smile and says, "Except it won't." Looking like a somewhat hip, almost tough young professional with an open leather jacket, Anders then walks around the town with a detached look on his face, more of an observer than a participant in the world around him.
Sitting in an open air café watching people pass by and listening to other people's conversations, there is a palpable sense of isolation so deep and so penetrating that it can tear right into the heart of any viewer who has experienced feelings of alienation. Night clubs, parties, and raves occupy Anders as he starts to fall back into old habits. Though he tells a young student that he sleeps with after one of the parties, "Everything will be forgotten," it is obvious that he does not believe it. He desperately tries to contact his ex-girlfriend Iselin in New York, leaving three messages that tell her he has changed and that he still loves her, but his calls are not returned.
Honest, reflective, insightful, and intimate, Oslo, August 31st is a powerful and unforgettable achievement and Lie's performance is towering. Trier does not allow sentimentality to intrude on his character study of a lost soul whose pain cannot be hidden, nor the hurt he has caused others. We can see the kindness in Anders' heart but not the strength, or feelings of self-worth, and we just want to reach out to him to tell him to listen to the words of the poet Rilke, "And if the earthly no longer knows your name, whisper to the silent earth: I'm flowing. To the flashing water say: I am." Sadly, we cannot get through.
Joachim Trier does it again.
Apex_P381 April 2012
After seeing Reprise some years ago I had been eagerly awaiting for Joachim Trier's next film. Loosely based on the same novel Louis Malle's Le Feu Follet is based on by Pierre Drieu La Rochelle, Oslo, August 31st retells this story for the new age. By no means this movie happens to be a remake. The movie happens to have some similar basic elements here and there, as well as different encounters for the main character played this time out by Anders Danielsen Lie who was also happened to be one of the leads in Reprise who this time around plays a wonderful role on his own .
This is a story about a 34 year old recovering drug addict who has screwed up his life due to excessive partying, doing heavy drugs and alienating his loved ones that at his age he finds himself stuck and unable to move forward in his life. As he's about to finish his rehab stint, he's allowed to go into town for a job interview and in the process he decides to use this opportunity to visit old friends and relatives which in a way ends up making matters much worse for him. With all his old friends now married with children and successful careers he feels completely useless and overwhelmed. As he's end up being given the sympathetic pep talks, or being lectured at by unsympathetic characters who are trying to protect themselves throughout the day he finds himself challenging their personal views head on while struggling to convey his frustrations that no one seems to fully understand yet take personally.
In my opinion there's not much to compare Oslo, August 31st to Le Feu Follet. Louis Malle's version (1963) which I am a huge fan of is one of those cinematic gems that story-wise packs a punch. Le Feu Follet also stands next to other classic black and white pictures like Fellini's 8 ½ as one of the best looking black and white movies ever made and I highly recommend everyone to see it.
Oslo, August 31st in itself has an entirely different approach and has a more melancholic feel throughout the film. With almost 50 year gap difference from Le Feu Follet to be told as a modern day tale this story depicts modern day tactlessness that society potentially sees these situations as almost insignificant when dealing with recovering addicts. Sure, maybe some people will try to try and understand but the world is also more likely to let a person deal with his/her own demons for they can't be bothered and even distance themselves for they have their own problems to deal with no matter how much a friend or a loved one really needs their help to get through life.
Oslo, August 31st has been called a "Devastating and Heartbreaking" Film by some, and I agree. If you're expecting to see another Reprise this might probably not be it, but it could be just as great of a film depending on the person. I will even go as far as to say this can be a total "hit and miss" for some viewers. To me this is still a beautiful film that really moved me and made me feel sad watching it. I will definitely be on the lookout for the DVD when it finally comes out for sale. Overall, make sure to watch this movie with an open mind then make your own opinion. 7 out of 10.
This is a story about a 34 year old recovering drug addict who has screwed up his life due to excessive partying, doing heavy drugs and alienating his loved ones that at his age he finds himself stuck and unable to move forward in his life. As he's about to finish his rehab stint, he's allowed to go into town for a job interview and in the process he decides to use this opportunity to visit old friends and relatives which in a way ends up making matters much worse for him. With all his old friends now married with children and successful careers he feels completely useless and overwhelmed. As he's end up being given the sympathetic pep talks, or being lectured at by unsympathetic characters who are trying to protect themselves throughout the day he finds himself challenging their personal views head on while struggling to convey his frustrations that no one seems to fully understand yet take personally.
In my opinion there's not much to compare Oslo, August 31st to Le Feu Follet. Louis Malle's version (1963) which I am a huge fan of is one of those cinematic gems that story-wise packs a punch. Le Feu Follet also stands next to other classic black and white pictures like Fellini's 8 ½ as one of the best looking black and white movies ever made and I highly recommend everyone to see it.
Oslo, August 31st in itself has an entirely different approach and has a more melancholic feel throughout the film. With almost 50 year gap difference from Le Feu Follet to be told as a modern day tale this story depicts modern day tactlessness that society potentially sees these situations as almost insignificant when dealing with recovering addicts. Sure, maybe some people will try to try and understand but the world is also more likely to let a person deal with his/her own demons for they can't be bothered and even distance themselves for they have their own problems to deal with no matter how much a friend or a loved one really needs their help to get through life.
Oslo, August 31st has been called a "Devastating and Heartbreaking" Film by some, and I agree. If you're expecting to see another Reprise this might probably not be it, but it could be just as great of a film depending on the person. I will even go as far as to say this can be a total "hit and miss" for some viewers. To me this is still a beautiful film that really moved me and made me feel sad watching it. I will definitely be on the lookout for the DVD when it finally comes out for sale. Overall, make sure to watch this movie with an open mind then make your own opinion. 7 out of 10.
Nothing Waits on the Other Side of Addiction
Chris_Pandolfi25 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
"Oslo, August 31st" opens with a montage of the titular city, revealing cobblestone streets teeming with cars, suburban sidewalks on which children play, and even the icy slopes of a ski resort. Some shots are devoid of people. In others, distant figures dot the urban landscape. We see a few close-ups of faces, a long shot of a car ride from the passenger's point of view, and a hand-held view of a lake. As these visuals unfold, random voice-over narrations play on the soundtrack – sound bites of anonymous men and women recalling their impressions of Oslo. Some are pleasant while others are indifferent, but all of them are vivid, strong, and deeply personal. We're not witnessing a celebration of life; the filmmakers are acknowledging life's directional axis in a simple, direct way. We inevitably move forward, carrying memories both good and bad.
Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie) is two weeks away from finishing a stint in rehab for alcohol and drug addiction. He has already attempted suicide by filling his jacket pockets with stones, picking up a boulder, and wading into a nearby river. He fails to go through with it. We're not all that surprised because, as he later explains during group therapy, he hasn't felt much of anything since becoming sober. Successful actions, even negative ones like taking your own life, necessitate both an emotional response and the willpower to act accordingly. He's given a one-day pass for a job interview at a literary magazine, where he's being considered for an editorial position. He will also reunite with an old party buddy, Thomas (Hans Olav Brenner), now a husband, a father, and a professor of literature.
Thomas, clearly unhappy with his lot in life, quotes Proust with restrained yet visible desperation. If Anders went to him seeking encouragement – or, at the very least, some semblance of stability and familiarity – he most certainly will not get it. This goes double for Anders' sister, who made a date to meet him at a restaurant. He instead meets her friend, who was sent solely for the purpose of passing along doubts about seeing him again. Anders tries to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend, who now lives in New York; he leaves her several voicemail messages via cell phone, all of which are unreturned. He has his job interview, which goes just as badly as he thought it would. More accurately, he allows it to go just as badly as he subconsciously wished it would go. If he truly wanted that job, he in all likelihood would have gotten it.
The rest of the film shows Anders wandering through a series of parties, bars, and clubs. He interacts with various people, including his former drug supplier and the man who had an affair with his ex-girlfriend, but never once does he connect with them. He can't connect with anyone on this side of addiction, simply because he doesn't know how to. Perhaps he knew at one time; echoing the opening voice-over narrations, Anders retreats into his head during one scene, allowing memories of his well-to-do parents to resurface as spoken recollections. Between his childhood and now is a long stretch in which he willingly forfeited any opportunity to remember something, be it happy or sad. Now that his mind is clear, he has become aware that he has absolutely nothing and cannot relate to others. He squandered his life before he ever had the chance to live it.
Loosely adapted from the novel "Le Feu Follet" by Pierre Drieu La Rochelle, the film does not make any grand gestures in depicting the aftereffects of drug addiction. Director/co-writer Joachim Trier simply observes. He never aims to make Anders a tragic victim of circumstance; he's a young man who knowingly chose to walk a self-destructive path. Perhaps he didn't know it would lead to total apathy. That doesn't matter; you don't have to actually experience it to know that addiction leads to nothing good. Although the specifics of Anders' upbringing are never revealed, we strongly suspect he came from a home that was at the very least stable, so in all likelihood, has no good excuse for being an addict.
In an early scene of "Oslo, August 31st," Anders sits alone in a café filled with people. He and the audience catch snippets of various conversations, ranging from the suicide of Kurt Cobain to a long list of lofty but positive life goals. They're intriguing in and of themselves, mostly because we're witnessing a very realistic portrayal of attitudes and behaviors, from sweet and sentimental to flippant and immature. But what I found even more intriguing was Anders' reaction to them. In expressing indifference with only anxious turns of the head and joyless smirks, he paradoxically speaks volumes about himself. This is a testament to the brilliance of Lie's performance, which, even in its nuanced state, is emotionally complex and painfully believable. As his character sits there, both he and the audience slowly begin to realize that, apart from having nothing, he has seen to it that he actually is nothing.
-- Chris Pandolfi (www.atatheaternearyou.net)
Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie) is two weeks away from finishing a stint in rehab for alcohol and drug addiction. He has already attempted suicide by filling his jacket pockets with stones, picking up a boulder, and wading into a nearby river. He fails to go through with it. We're not all that surprised because, as he later explains during group therapy, he hasn't felt much of anything since becoming sober. Successful actions, even negative ones like taking your own life, necessitate both an emotional response and the willpower to act accordingly. He's given a one-day pass for a job interview at a literary magazine, where he's being considered for an editorial position. He will also reunite with an old party buddy, Thomas (Hans Olav Brenner), now a husband, a father, and a professor of literature.
Thomas, clearly unhappy with his lot in life, quotes Proust with restrained yet visible desperation. If Anders went to him seeking encouragement – or, at the very least, some semblance of stability and familiarity – he most certainly will not get it. This goes double for Anders' sister, who made a date to meet him at a restaurant. He instead meets her friend, who was sent solely for the purpose of passing along doubts about seeing him again. Anders tries to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend, who now lives in New York; he leaves her several voicemail messages via cell phone, all of which are unreturned. He has his job interview, which goes just as badly as he thought it would. More accurately, he allows it to go just as badly as he subconsciously wished it would go. If he truly wanted that job, he in all likelihood would have gotten it.
The rest of the film shows Anders wandering through a series of parties, bars, and clubs. He interacts with various people, including his former drug supplier and the man who had an affair with his ex-girlfriend, but never once does he connect with them. He can't connect with anyone on this side of addiction, simply because he doesn't know how to. Perhaps he knew at one time; echoing the opening voice-over narrations, Anders retreats into his head during one scene, allowing memories of his well-to-do parents to resurface as spoken recollections. Between his childhood and now is a long stretch in which he willingly forfeited any opportunity to remember something, be it happy or sad. Now that his mind is clear, he has become aware that he has absolutely nothing and cannot relate to others. He squandered his life before he ever had the chance to live it.
Loosely adapted from the novel "Le Feu Follet" by Pierre Drieu La Rochelle, the film does not make any grand gestures in depicting the aftereffects of drug addiction. Director/co-writer Joachim Trier simply observes. He never aims to make Anders a tragic victim of circumstance; he's a young man who knowingly chose to walk a self-destructive path. Perhaps he didn't know it would lead to total apathy. That doesn't matter; you don't have to actually experience it to know that addiction leads to nothing good. Although the specifics of Anders' upbringing are never revealed, we strongly suspect he came from a home that was at the very least stable, so in all likelihood, has no good excuse for being an addict.
In an early scene of "Oslo, August 31st," Anders sits alone in a café filled with people. He and the audience catch snippets of various conversations, ranging from the suicide of Kurt Cobain to a long list of lofty but positive life goals. They're intriguing in and of themselves, mostly because we're witnessing a very realistic portrayal of attitudes and behaviors, from sweet and sentimental to flippant and immature. But what I found even more intriguing was Anders' reaction to them. In expressing indifference with only anxious turns of the head and joyless smirks, he paradoxically speaks volumes about himself. This is a testament to the brilliance of Lie's performance, which, even in its nuanced state, is emotionally complex and painfully believable. As his character sits there, both he and the audience slowly begin to realize that, apart from having nothing, he has seen to it that he actually is nothing.
-- Chris Pandolfi (www.atatheaternearyou.net)
need to escape
Vincentiu15 October 2012
bitter, cold, gray, powerful. pictures of disillusion. search of yourself in a strange world. desire of new beginning. close doors. out sense meetings. pain and drops of hope. the life has unique sense. the past can not be present or future. the force source of story is its universal value. Anders may be everybody. his trip to a little sense of existence or only for a realistic form of consolation is part of each man or woman. maybe, not so painful. he can be one of Dostoievsky characters. or only a Tchekov page silhouette. but he is more. he is a hero of our time. a kind of Sisif. or only his remains. few beautiful images. a magnificent performance of Anders Danielsen Lie. and a town as skin of fall. nothing else. only a room, a piano, a lake and last day of summer - perfect scene for last step.
The end of the world
stensson11 December 2011
This guy gets out of rehab. One of the reasons he's been there is Oslo, but it's Oslo he returns to, when leaving.
Life is about to proceed. The lives of others, that is. The guy from rehab slowly understands that he is dead and there is no way of getting back to what he anyway never had. Oslo is merciless.
Strong drama about the hopelessness a person feels while entering middle-age knowing that he has no experiences, no history, except for the well-known feeling of being worthless. Which isn't an experience in itself. It all ends with a cliffhanger. The chasm is the possibility of getting older.
Life is about to proceed. The lives of others, that is. The guy from rehab slowly understands that he is dead and there is no way of getting back to what he anyway never had. Oslo is merciless.
Strong drama about the hopelessness a person feels while entering middle-age knowing that he has no experiences, no history, except for the well-known feeling of being worthless. Which isn't an experience in itself. It all ends with a cliffhanger. The chasm is the possibility of getting older.
The Truth ---written by someone who has been there
filmalamosa4 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Beautiful and interesting to watch if tragic.
Anders is a heroin addict in the last weeks of rehab--we don't know how many times he has been there before--one suspects several due to the cold reception he receives from his family. He is in his early 30s.
Having been through this myself I am a pretty good judge of this movie.
It is very accurate. The sister who won't see him. Her friend who describes how Ander's mother is trying to give the sister family heirlooms maybe to make up for the money they have had to spend on Anders. The sister doesn't want Anders in the family home alone--but her friend gives him the keys anyway. So real.
I loved the truth in this movie. Ander's friend who quotes Proust (a nod to the French origins of the story) and then his wife chastises this pretentiousness perfectly. This friend then admits his life is not so perfect and he really wonders about it--admits he doesn't sleep with his wife--a wonderful one line antidote the typical PC version of marriages.
Anders state of mind is partly caused by the depressive blahs of withdrawal but also the stripping away of artifice and pretense from the humiliations of years. The exact truth of everything comes out in this state that is the intelligence of the movie. The scene in the cafe is wonderful....especially the puerile teenage girls wanting to do all these prepackaged "exciting" things--swimming with dolphins-reading a great novel you remember parts of all your life...ad nauseum. It exhausts and irritates you listening to it.
Of course I knew Anders was going to OD about 30 minutes from the end that was no surprise. The director does clever things though--you see Anders playing the piano and can't see his hands so you are dismayed to think this wonderful movie is going use that tired cinema technique of showing only the hands playing but then the camera moves very slowly and no---he really is playing it. That somehow authenticates the movie. This movie works beautifully--the initial drowning attempt then the ending at the swimming pool.
Probably the best and most watchable "addiction" movie I have ever seen. Plus you get to see scenes of Oslo all of it beautifully filmed. As a non sequitur.... WWII started on Sept 1 so August 31 would have been the last day of an era--a unrelated triviality I am positive.
RECOMMEND HIGHLY
Anders is a heroin addict in the last weeks of rehab--we don't know how many times he has been there before--one suspects several due to the cold reception he receives from his family. He is in his early 30s.
Having been through this myself I am a pretty good judge of this movie.
It is very accurate. The sister who won't see him. Her friend who describes how Ander's mother is trying to give the sister family heirlooms maybe to make up for the money they have had to spend on Anders. The sister doesn't want Anders in the family home alone--but her friend gives him the keys anyway. So real.
I loved the truth in this movie. Ander's friend who quotes Proust (a nod to the French origins of the story) and then his wife chastises this pretentiousness perfectly. This friend then admits his life is not so perfect and he really wonders about it--admits he doesn't sleep with his wife--a wonderful one line antidote the typical PC version of marriages.
Anders state of mind is partly caused by the depressive blahs of withdrawal but also the stripping away of artifice and pretense from the humiliations of years. The exact truth of everything comes out in this state that is the intelligence of the movie. The scene in the cafe is wonderful....especially the puerile teenage girls wanting to do all these prepackaged "exciting" things--swimming with dolphins-reading a great novel you remember parts of all your life...ad nauseum. It exhausts and irritates you listening to it.
Of course I knew Anders was going to OD about 30 minutes from the end that was no surprise. The director does clever things though--you see Anders playing the piano and can't see his hands so you are dismayed to think this wonderful movie is going use that tired cinema technique of showing only the hands playing but then the camera moves very slowly and no---he really is playing it. That somehow authenticates the movie. This movie works beautifully--the initial drowning attempt then the ending at the swimming pool.
Probably the best and most watchable "addiction" movie I have ever seen. Plus you get to see scenes of Oslo all of it beautifully filmed. As a non sequitur.... WWII started on Sept 1 so August 31 would have been the last day of an era--a unrelated triviality I am positive.
RECOMMEND HIGHLY
One way of looking at it
cozmosmalls22 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This is a good film but personally it doesn't ring true.
Addiction can be devastating. It often is. I speak from personal experience. A relatively lengthy period of abstinence like 10 months can be totally reinvigorating but relapse is not uncommon. The effects of drugs/alcohol cause physical and emotional pain. Anders would at least be feeling positive effects from the relief of the physical pain. This is not apparent.
What is uncommon is that if your life has been totally devastated to the point where you are in enforced rehab, it is unlikely that you would slip back into life in the way the protagonist of the film has. The point of the film seems to be that the life and people you once had are no longer available to you and yet in this film they actually are to a strong degree. He is welcomed by friends, family are understanding, he gets to go to parties with well adjusted, well healed people. The reality, more often than not, is that most people would be giving you a wide berth because of the mess you have created. Norwegian society might be more sympathetic but addiction is still very much a personal 'crime'.
Paradoxically, we are led to believe that the editor would not consider him for the job because of his problems. I find that highly unlikely considering the way Anders presents himself. I would think that a journalist would consider that non judgmentally or at least be keen to appear non judgmental. Some might see such an experience as a useful insight. Anders is not a shambling mess after all.
This isn't a film about the devastating effects of drug addiction, this is a film about an individual who is unable to come to terms with life, his experience of drug addiction is a facet of that and his privileged circumstances are uncommon. His life is all around him, he fails to see it. That can be true of someone with or without addiction problems. Look around the streets in the poor areas of any city if you want to see what drugs do to people. A short stint in rehab seldom leads you to nice parties sipping moet chandon with attractive young upwardly mobiles.
Addiction can be devastating. It often is. I speak from personal experience. A relatively lengthy period of abstinence like 10 months can be totally reinvigorating but relapse is not uncommon. The effects of drugs/alcohol cause physical and emotional pain. Anders would at least be feeling positive effects from the relief of the physical pain. This is not apparent.
What is uncommon is that if your life has been totally devastated to the point where you are in enforced rehab, it is unlikely that you would slip back into life in the way the protagonist of the film has. The point of the film seems to be that the life and people you once had are no longer available to you and yet in this film they actually are to a strong degree. He is welcomed by friends, family are understanding, he gets to go to parties with well adjusted, well healed people. The reality, more often than not, is that most people would be giving you a wide berth because of the mess you have created. Norwegian society might be more sympathetic but addiction is still very much a personal 'crime'.
Paradoxically, we are led to believe that the editor would not consider him for the job because of his problems. I find that highly unlikely considering the way Anders presents himself. I would think that a journalist would consider that non judgmentally or at least be keen to appear non judgmental. Some might see such an experience as a useful insight. Anders is not a shambling mess after all.
This isn't a film about the devastating effects of drug addiction, this is a film about an individual who is unable to come to terms with life, his experience of drug addiction is a facet of that and his privileged circumstances are uncommon. His life is all around him, he fails to see it. That can be true of someone with or without addiction problems. Look around the streets in the poor areas of any city if you want to see what drugs do to people. A short stint in rehab seldom leads you to nice parties sipping moet chandon with attractive young upwardly mobiles.
"If someone wants to destroy themselves, society should allow him to do it."
morrison-dylan-fan27 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
After seeing the film on Netflix UK,I was pleased to spot that BBC iPlayer had recently put the superb Short Term 12 (2013-also reviewed) on for streaming. After watching Short Term 12 again,I took a look at the other titles on the site,and found a tough-sounding Nordic Drama,which led to me booking a ticket to Oslo,for August 31st.
View on the film:
Looking absolutely torn to shreds, Anders Danielsen Lie gives a devastating performance as Anders,whose dry skin Lie rubs like an open wound. Walking out of rehab feeling empty,Lie pulls the isolation surrounding Anders wide-open,with Lie's mask of a smile displaying the soullessness inside Anders.
Meeting Anders for the first time in ages, Hans Olav Brenner gives a great performance as Thomas,who Brenner shows still retains some family warmth for Anders,but also has a sharp,contrasting coldness,over a suspicion that Anders is not coming to grips with the present situations.
Whilst the idea of spending a whole day round a walking on eggshells former drug addict does not sound like a fun idea for a flick,co- writer/(along with Eskil Vogt) director Joachim Trier's screenplay loosely based on Pierre Drieu La Rochelle's book brilliantly dig into Anders skin,by grasping Anders in self-imposed isolation,where every person who Anders chats to,feels completely disconnected from him.
Studying the challenges addicts face to enter society again,the writers intelligently lay out routes to optimism in front of Anders,which are paved with the shadows from his past.
Coldly opening the film with crisp stock footage of Norway,director Joachim Trier and cinematographer Jakob Ihre pour Anders hazy outlook onto the screen,via the outdoor scenes being drained into a chalk white which captures the tense emptiness buried deep within Anders.
Becoming increasingly disconnected from those around him, Trier gradually grinds the title down into a harsh,murky atmosphere,cast by Trier basking the screen in almost total darkness,as Anders questions his life,in Oslo,on August 31st.
View on the film:
Looking absolutely torn to shreds, Anders Danielsen Lie gives a devastating performance as Anders,whose dry skin Lie rubs like an open wound. Walking out of rehab feeling empty,Lie pulls the isolation surrounding Anders wide-open,with Lie's mask of a smile displaying the soullessness inside Anders.
Meeting Anders for the first time in ages, Hans Olav Brenner gives a great performance as Thomas,who Brenner shows still retains some family warmth for Anders,but also has a sharp,contrasting coldness,over a suspicion that Anders is not coming to grips with the present situations.
Whilst the idea of spending a whole day round a walking on eggshells former drug addict does not sound like a fun idea for a flick,co- writer/(along with Eskil Vogt) director Joachim Trier's screenplay loosely based on Pierre Drieu La Rochelle's book brilliantly dig into Anders skin,by grasping Anders in self-imposed isolation,where every person who Anders chats to,feels completely disconnected from him.
Studying the challenges addicts face to enter society again,the writers intelligently lay out routes to optimism in front of Anders,which are paved with the shadows from his past.
Coldly opening the film with crisp stock footage of Norway,director Joachim Trier and cinematographer Jakob Ihre pour Anders hazy outlook onto the screen,via the outdoor scenes being drained into a chalk white which captures the tense emptiness buried deep within Anders.
Becoming increasingly disconnected from those around him, Trier gradually grinds the title down into a harsh,murky atmosphere,cast by Trier basking the screen in almost total darkness,as Anders questions his life,in Oslo,on August 31st.
Quite good
proud_luddite27 September 2020
The title refers to the place and day this film takes place. It follows a young man (Anders) on a day pass from a rehabilitation clinic for drug addiction.
This film might appear to be slow-moving at times but it pays off mainly due to its content. The viewer gets glimpses of the life of a recovering addict trying to have a normal life but also must face the consequences of past behaviour. The best scene is one in which he is being interviewed for a job and has to account for the years not working while he was in treatment.
The visits with an old friend, his sister's partner, and an ex-girlfriend at a party also reveal much about the main character and life itself.
This film might appear to be slow-moving at times but it pays off mainly due to its content. The viewer gets glimpses of the life of a recovering addict trying to have a normal life but also must face the consequences of past behaviour. The best scene is one in which he is being interviewed for a job and has to account for the years not working while he was in treatment.
The visits with an old friend, his sister's partner, and an ex-girlfriend at a party also reveal much about the main character and life itself.
First world problems
sumita_sinha21 August 2016
Middle-class kid with nice liberal parents, living in Oslo, takes drugs and gets free help to overcome addiction that but doesn't succeed- that really is the story. The only problem it would seem is an ex-girlfriend, if only she would talk to him, all would be well (because of course, you are so wrapped in yourself, the rest of the world doesn't matter). If you like that sort of thing and like peering into the screen (because it is so dark most of the time) to decipher what is going on, that is great. I was having hard time figuring out the continuity- it seemed morning then suddenly evening, then night then evening again- poor lighting and bad editing combined. Poor little rich kid also doesn't need to eat or even pee! There are much better Norwegian movies to watch- don't waste your time on this.
Involving and moving film about how difficult it is for a former drug addict to return and keep on track
JvH4810 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this film as part of the Ghent filmfestival 2011. Though having no personal experience with drug addiction or rehab clinics, I heard second hand stories of others who have (mostly with alcohol, but the dilemma's seem similar). The announcement of the film looked interesting and instructive to learn more about related issues. The openings scenes, in and around the rehab clinic including an attempted suicide, made not immediately clear in which direction the story was heading. But soon after that, we got several chances to get involved with the main character (Anders) on his first steps back into a normal life.
Firstly, he visits an old friend. A revealing dialog follows on a park bench, away from the friend's wife and kids, just the two of them alone while meandering through past, present and future. This is the way trusted friends can speak with each other. Of course, good intentions all along and some wise advice for the days to come. It all seems to start in an optimistic mood.
Secondly, a job interview that started off very well. Anders showed interest in the magazine he would write for, had formed an opinion about its profile, and was very able to put that in words. But there was the inevitable question about some years on his CV that were left blank. He answers truthfully, the interviewer seems to accept the answer after am awkward silence, and nevertheless tries to restart the conversation. Alas, Anders is too defensive and ashamed about his past. He does not take the hint that the interview is not over, and runs away.
Back on the street, Anders decides to sit in a cafe, where he hears the conversations around him. It seems an alien world to him. This does not bode well for his rehabilitation, and his intentions to make a fresh start. We see him go down hill, hour by hour, and no sufficient incentives to turn around on his steps. What happens next is predictable. We can only observe, and hope that something strong enough is going to happen to put him on track again. I won't reveal how the film ends, if only to prevent spoilers.
All in all, I am very positive about this film, adding up the quality of the script and the main actor. It demonstrates very clearly how difficult it can be to pick up the pieces after a few destructive years. Though the main character of this film is very well educated, and in no way resembles the average drug addict we see in most films, it proves still not easy to return to a normal life. It was very involving how the story line develops and is brought on screen, hence I gave the maximum score for the audience award when leaving the theater.
Firstly, he visits an old friend. A revealing dialog follows on a park bench, away from the friend's wife and kids, just the two of them alone while meandering through past, present and future. This is the way trusted friends can speak with each other. Of course, good intentions all along and some wise advice for the days to come. It all seems to start in an optimistic mood.
Secondly, a job interview that started off very well. Anders showed interest in the magazine he would write for, had formed an opinion about its profile, and was very able to put that in words. But there was the inevitable question about some years on his CV that were left blank. He answers truthfully, the interviewer seems to accept the answer after am awkward silence, and nevertheless tries to restart the conversation. Alas, Anders is too defensive and ashamed about his past. He does not take the hint that the interview is not over, and runs away.
Back on the street, Anders decides to sit in a cafe, where he hears the conversations around him. It seems an alien world to him. This does not bode well for his rehabilitation, and his intentions to make a fresh start. We see him go down hill, hour by hour, and no sufficient incentives to turn around on his steps. What happens next is predictable. We can only observe, and hope that something strong enough is going to happen to put him on track again. I won't reveal how the film ends, if only to prevent spoilers.
All in all, I am very positive about this film, adding up the quality of the script and the main actor. It demonstrates very clearly how difficult it can be to pick up the pieces after a few destructive years. Though the main character of this film is very well educated, and in no way resembles the average drug addict we see in most films, it proves still not easy to return to a normal life. It was very involving how the story line develops and is brought on screen, hence I gave the maximum score for the audience award when leaving the theater.
24 hours
dromasca6 December 2021
'Oslo, August 31' (2011), the second film by Norwegian director Joachim Trier, is inspired by a French novel written in 1931, which was also brought to screen by Louis Malle during the Nouvelle Vague period of his career. Trier, a great admirer of this cinematic current, transplanted the story to the Norwegian capital, which is the favorite setting of his films. In fact, the film opens with an almost documentary journey through the city, with urban sequences associated with the thoughts of its permanent or temporary inhabitants. The city is the background for the lives and problems of those who live in it or pass through it, but it does not play an active role. One of the characters expresses this indifferent relationship with a phrase that can be a motto of the film: 'Society does not save those who want to self-destruct'.
The narrative structure of the film reminded me of the American TV series '24' which was very popular 15-20 years ago. Its hero, played by Kiefer Sutherland, saves the city, America or the world within 24 hours. The hero of Joachim Trier's film, Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie), tries to save himself in the entire interval between two sunrises, and the mission proves to be no less difficult. Anders is nearing the end of a detox cure that has lasted several years. The result of the treatment is fragile. Physically, drug and alcohol addiction seems to have gone away. Psychologically, however, the motivation that makes most people continue to live beyond crises has disappeared - professional ambition, emotions in relationships with women or friends. In addition, the world has moved forward, age is beginning to show signs, friends have established families, years of absence from the CV raise questions when he is trying to get a job. The 24 hours that Anders spent in Oslo, during which he tries to renew contacts with the world from which he was absent, confronts him with the indifference of the surrounding society, all the more so as it is dressed in the velvet gloves of Scandinavian politeness and civility.
'Oslo, August 31' is not a 'feel good' film but rather a 'feel bad' one - melancholic and quite depressing. It was very difficult for me to identify in any way with the hero of the film, maybe because addiction to substances, feelings like uselessness and boredom, and the morals and codes of the world of northern Europe are foreign to me. I appreciated the way 'Oslo, August 31st' is filmed and the acting, especially Anders Danielsen Lie, although I also have a doubt about that. The role in this film is so similar to the one he played in 'Reprise', Joachim Trier's debut film, that I should see another film or more in which Danielsen Lie plays something different to be convinced by the quality and depth of his talent. Joachim Trier is without a doubt a talented director, very connected to what has happened or is happening in world cinema but also very attached to the city of Oslo where the stories in all his films that I have seen so far take place. These movies fall into the category of movies that I appreciate but not of those that I love.
The narrative structure of the film reminded me of the American TV series '24' which was very popular 15-20 years ago. Its hero, played by Kiefer Sutherland, saves the city, America or the world within 24 hours. The hero of Joachim Trier's film, Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie), tries to save himself in the entire interval between two sunrises, and the mission proves to be no less difficult. Anders is nearing the end of a detox cure that has lasted several years. The result of the treatment is fragile. Physically, drug and alcohol addiction seems to have gone away. Psychologically, however, the motivation that makes most people continue to live beyond crises has disappeared - professional ambition, emotions in relationships with women or friends. In addition, the world has moved forward, age is beginning to show signs, friends have established families, years of absence from the CV raise questions when he is trying to get a job. The 24 hours that Anders spent in Oslo, during which he tries to renew contacts with the world from which he was absent, confronts him with the indifference of the surrounding society, all the more so as it is dressed in the velvet gloves of Scandinavian politeness and civility.
'Oslo, August 31' is not a 'feel good' film but rather a 'feel bad' one - melancholic and quite depressing. It was very difficult for me to identify in any way with the hero of the film, maybe because addiction to substances, feelings like uselessness and boredom, and the morals and codes of the world of northern Europe are foreign to me. I appreciated the way 'Oslo, August 31st' is filmed and the acting, especially Anders Danielsen Lie, although I also have a doubt about that. The role in this film is so similar to the one he played in 'Reprise', Joachim Trier's debut film, that I should see another film or more in which Danielsen Lie plays something different to be convinced by the quality and depth of his talent. Joachim Trier is without a doubt a talented director, very connected to what has happened or is happening in world cinema but also very attached to the city of Oslo where the stories in all his films that I have seen so far take place. These movies fall into the category of movies that I appreciate but not of those that I love.
Lighter version of Dag och natt
silmaril-614 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Solid movie, all the actors and especially the lead gave great performances, but comparing to it's older, darker and more poignant brother Swedish Dag och natt with amazing Mikael Persbrandt, it's just not that great. It does have some great dialogs and great scenes, but overall lacks the impact that Dag och natt (dealing with subject of the last day in the life of a person who's decided to commit suicide) or Requiem for a dream (dealing with the subject of drug addiction) have. I guess the movie wanted to be too likable to general crowd and played too safe. Good, but it could be better if it were more brave and if it took some risk.
Quality production, don't expect to be uplifted.
bandw6 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
(Spoilers!) The story tracks one day in the life 34-year-old Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie), ending on the date mentioned in the title. Anders is nearing the end of a drug detox program where he has been in attendance for several months. He has been given an evening leave to go for a job interview.
We come to know a lot about Anders and his decision to end it all. On his evening leave, and before his job interview, he goes to see his old friend Thomas who is married with a child and is a professor of literature. The two sit on a park bench and have an intense conversation. It is from this scene that we see how depressed Anders is and realize that, even though Thomas clearly cares for him, there is no future for their returning to their old relationship. If an early scene of an attempted suicide does not warn us of what is on his mind, then Anders citing the quote, "If someone wants to destroy himself, society should allow him to do so," makes it pretty clear. In this conversation Anders wants Thomas to know that if he does commit suicide, then it will have been a willful decision and not simply a mistaken OD.
Anders is fully committed to his depression, making statements like, "I am nothing." In his job interview for editorial assistant to a literary magazine, after holding his own intellectually he preempts the meeting before it is clear that a negative decision is forthcoming. It's almost like he is afraid that he might get the job. Ander's depression is so painfully real that I was left wondering if his depression caused his drug problem or if his drug problem caused his depression--probably a combination.
In one scene Anders walks the streets of Oslo remembering, in a voice-over, his family life from the time he was growing up. This scene is particularly poignant, since we see that Anders came from a good family and was afforded financial and emotional support as a young person. There seems to be some truth in his remarking, "I'm a spoiled brat who f***** up. Nobody needs me."
It's natural to root for Anders to turn the corner, but he thwarts hope at every turn. The woman he loved has moved to New York and, after several calls to her getting her answering machine and no callbacks, that hope is closed off. In a park Anders looks up at the sun coming through a tree, smiles and we think maybe an appreciation of nature will help, but I think Ander's apparent appreciation comes from his knowing that this is the last time he will have this bond with the natural world. His sister avoids an arranged meeting; his parents have had to sell their house in order to support him. So, family support has eroded. Near the end Anders sits down at the piano and plays some bars from a piano sonata. It's impressive to see that Anders Lie can actually play. He is good enough to fake being rusty. After giving a remote hope that maybe music can same him, when he encounters a difficult passage that frustrates him he abandons the piano.
The film is tightly edited--there are no superfluous scenes; the story unfolds in a fluid way as we come to know and understand Anders. The beauty of the movie makes you come to see how Anders sees the world, and why he feels at a deep level that he can't go back, and nor can he go forward. After a suicide the first question anyone asks is why and usually there are no satisfactory answers, but, to its credit, this movie provides some answers in this particular case.
We come to know a lot about Anders and his decision to end it all. On his evening leave, and before his job interview, he goes to see his old friend Thomas who is married with a child and is a professor of literature. The two sit on a park bench and have an intense conversation. It is from this scene that we see how depressed Anders is and realize that, even though Thomas clearly cares for him, there is no future for their returning to their old relationship. If an early scene of an attempted suicide does not warn us of what is on his mind, then Anders citing the quote, "If someone wants to destroy himself, society should allow him to do so," makes it pretty clear. In this conversation Anders wants Thomas to know that if he does commit suicide, then it will have been a willful decision and not simply a mistaken OD.
Anders is fully committed to his depression, making statements like, "I am nothing." In his job interview for editorial assistant to a literary magazine, after holding his own intellectually he preempts the meeting before it is clear that a negative decision is forthcoming. It's almost like he is afraid that he might get the job. Ander's depression is so painfully real that I was left wondering if his depression caused his drug problem or if his drug problem caused his depression--probably a combination.
In one scene Anders walks the streets of Oslo remembering, in a voice-over, his family life from the time he was growing up. This scene is particularly poignant, since we see that Anders came from a good family and was afforded financial and emotional support as a young person. There seems to be some truth in his remarking, "I'm a spoiled brat who f***** up. Nobody needs me."
It's natural to root for Anders to turn the corner, but he thwarts hope at every turn. The woman he loved has moved to New York and, after several calls to her getting her answering machine and no callbacks, that hope is closed off. In a park Anders looks up at the sun coming through a tree, smiles and we think maybe an appreciation of nature will help, but I think Ander's apparent appreciation comes from his knowing that this is the last time he will have this bond with the natural world. His sister avoids an arranged meeting; his parents have had to sell their house in order to support him. So, family support has eroded. Near the end Anders sits down at the piano and plays some bars from a piano sonata. It's impressive to see that Anders Lie can actually play. He is good enough to fake being rusty. After giving a remote hope that maybe music can same him, when he encounters a difficult passage that frustrates him he abandons the piano.
The film is tightly edited--there are no superfluous scenes; the story unfolds in a fluid way as we come to know and understand Anders. The beauty of the movie makes you come to see how Anders sees the world, and why he feels at a deep level that he can't go back, and nor can he go forward. After a suicide the first question anyone asks is why and usually there are no satisfactory answers, but, to its credit, this movie provides some answers in this particular case.
Wrong message: Portrait of a Loser?
rtoac125 November 2022
Films have to be created and appreciated based on the impact and role they play in human society. It should not be just art for art's sake or award's sake. This film is a very good example of how it fails to fulfill this purpose. The direction and especially the performance of the lead actor is good, no doubt. But it is better then is to just create an entertainer..
While it is loosely inspired by books, a film maker has the creative liberty to bring in a message of hope into the film. While the creators might argue this as a message to dissuade people from drug addiction, well that was done in the first half of the film itself. The second half, or at least the last half hour should have set an example of how despite such odds, human resilience can win!
Instead it goes morbid by implicitly sending the message that rehabs don't fully serve the purpose. That there is no hope and future to drug addicts no matter what. That addicts will continue to be losers, not willing to gel back into society, work and relationships anymore. Why! Did the creators consider what a negative impact such films could create on the will power of those fighting addiction trying to get back to normal life? They need the support of society, and not a judgemental view as this film is..
While it is loosely inspired by books, a film maker has the creative liberty to bring in a message of hope into the film. While the creators might argue this as a message to dissuade people from drug addiction, well that was done in the first half of the film itself. The second half, or at least the last half hour should have set an example of how despite such odds, human resilience can win!
Instead it goes morbid by implicitly sending the message that rehabs don't fully serve the purpose. That there is no hope and future to drug addicts no matter what. That addicts will continue to be losers, not willing to gel back into society, work and relationships anymore. Why! Did the creators consider what a negative impact such films could create on the will power of those fighting addiction trying to get back to normal life? They need the support of society, and not a judgemental view as this film is..
Drug addiction is tough *sigh*
wandereramor1 August 2012
The opening and closing minutes of Oslo, August 31rst are peerless filmmaking, a simultaneously nostalgic and disturbing slideshow of images from the titular city, which appears as some kind of larger supernatural entity with a will of its own. The film that they bracket is pretty decent too. It's a quiet slice of cinema verite about Anders, a recovering drug addict.
This isn't your standard AA-approved narrative of redemption, and that's what makes it good. Anders discovers that the world outside is frosty, ambivalent towards him, and most of all banal and meaningless. Of course, the difficulty is portraying banality without being banal yourself, and Trier doesn't entirely succeed here. But it does provide, on top of the more philosophical statement, a great representation of the difficulty of getting back into society after leaving it. Oslo, August 31rst is smart enough to see the social barriers that make the standard addiction narrative so deceitful.
Other than the immediately striking opening, there's nothing overtly impressive about this film. It has its flaws, such as the ending, which seems contrived compared to everything that's come before. But it's a quietly solid picture that certainly deserves a little of your time.
This isn't your standard AA-approved narrative of redemption, and that's what makes it good. Anders discovers that the world outside is frosty, ambivalent towards him, and most of all banal and meaningless. Of course, the difficulty is portraying banality without being banal yourself, and Trier doesn't entirely succeed here. But it does provide, on top of the more philosophical statement, a great representation of the difficulty of getting back into society after leaving it. Oslo, August 31rst is smart enough to see the social barriers that make the standard addiction narrative so deceitful.
Other than the immediately striking opening, there's nothing overtly impressive about this film. It has its flaws, such as the ending, which seems contrived compared to everything that's come before. But it's a quietly solid picture that certainly deserves a little of your time.
Ouch
cattaday6 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This film captures addiction better than most. Very insightful examination of the narcissistic arrested adolescence that makes up so many addict personalities and the cycle of guilt and shame that keeps them coming back for more.
I come from a family of addicts and have spent most of my life battling addiction. I'm sober today and I intend to stay that way until I give up and choose to die (I'm currently 63 years old). But because I've lost so many friends and family members, old and young alike, it was hard for me to sympathize with the selfish actions of this film's protagonist. I reckon, by surrounding the privileged protagonist with caring, loving people and such a beautiful environment, that's the filmmakers' intention: to call our attention to the tragedy of the addict who is unwilling or unable to choose life. Heartbreaking.
I come from a family of addicts and have spent most of my life battling addiction. I'm sober today and I intend to stay that way until I give up and choose to die (I'm currently 63 years old). But because I've lost so many friends and family members, old and young alike, it was hard for me to sympathize with the selfish actions of this film's protagonist. I reckon, by surrounding the privileged protagonist with caring, loving people and such a beautiful environment, that's the filmmakers' intention: to call our attention to the tragedy of the addict who is unwilling or unable to choose life. Heartbreaking.
Timeless and brilliant
lepetitemre28 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Anders' story made me wonder if we're going to watch the "White man" problems again, but as the story progressed, it evolved into a timeless existence story that I loved most in Kieslowski. As everyone mentioned, Anders is quite familiar to us. It reminds us of ourselves. The helplessness of a man who has the talent but no will to make things right hurts us, too. Anders said, "I'm looking for love. I want someone to have pity on me." .What he's looking for is someone who truly loves him. The people around him seem to care about him, but he deeply knows that they do not care at all and that he will not be remembered when he leaves them. The only thing he wants is for Iselin, whom he loves, to talk to him once. It is commendable to witness the indifferent power of Love that binds people to life and to explain this in the language of cinema.
Mark the date.
Pjtaylor-96-13804410 August 2023
'Oslo, August 31st (2011)' is a profoundly sad movie. There's very little in the way of hope, and its devastation runs deeper than that of your typical weepie precisely because it never employs tactics that could be considered emotionally manipulative. It doesn't try to make you sad, it doesn't even feel as though it wants to make you sad, it just does make you sad. Joachim Trier lets the story play out mostly unencumbered, presenting the piece with a level of detachment that does keep its protagonist at arm's length but also replicates the feeling of seeing someone struggling and not knowing how to help them. Anders Danielsen Lie gives a compelling lead performance, balancing the cold enigma of his character's demeanour with moments that belie the emotional turmoil he feels inside. Though the feature is very well made, it isn't as engaging as it perhaps could have been. This is arguably a side-effect of its purposeful semi-objectivity and slow-paced, almost cyclical story, but it undeniably reduces the impact of the overall affair. It isn't enjoyable and it isn't meant to be, but it also isn't as compelling as it could have been and this stops even its most resonant beats from being full-blown gut punches. Still, it's an accomplished piece of work with several interesting sequences, a strong central performance and a well-earned underlying sadness. It isn't a happy film, but it is a good one.
Beware: extreme tedium may ensue
bashfulbadger1 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this because I read a rave review.
Maybe it is realistic. In the sense that reality can be extremely dull.
I found it tiresome and completely uninvolving. If you end up caring about any of the characters, you're a better man than I.
In presenting someone who's suicidal, it certainly left me wanting to slit my own wrists.
Basically, it's a day in the life of a spoilt, self-pitying, self-absorbed twit.
I only wish he'd killed himself at the start of the film rather than the end as it would have saved me the tedious torture of watching it.
I hope this review saves someone else from wasting time that could be much better spent.
Maybe it is realistic. In the sense that reality can be extremely dull.
I found it tiresome and completely uninvolving. If you end up caring about any of the characters, you're a better man than I.
In presenting someone who's suicidal, it certainly left me wanting to slit my own wrists.
Basically, it's a day in the life of a spoilt, self-pitying, self-absorbed twit.
I only wish he'd killed himself at the start of the film rather than the end as it would have saved me the tedious torture of watching it.
I hope this review saves someone else from wasting time that could be much better spent.
No one over, beside or under..
kummen19 January 2022
If you have ever known anyone who considered committing suicide, this is a realistic depiction of how hopeless, meaningless and difficult life can be. Maybe we are egoistic to keep them here in this world for just for us when they want to escape? The autentic character of this movie is uniqe and it reminds us of how precious and valuable life is. It is the best movie I have ever seen, and most likely, will ever see.
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