Thelma
Thelma makes for an effectively moody and evocative piece of Norwegian-flavored filmmaking, even as it brings more groundbreaking stories to mind.
The fourth lineament - length labor by Norse filmmaker Joachim Trier - following his explorations of youthful attraction ( 2006’sReprise ) , drug dependence ( 2011’sOslo , August 31st ) and familial balancing ( 2015’sLouder Than Bombs , Trier ’s English - linguistic communication debut ) -Thelmais a catch coming of young grownup years parable that absorb on familiar writing style conventions ; those of the supernatural horror and super - power variety , to be exact . WhileThelmais a bit too derivative and reserved to bring home the bacon as a mould - breaker , it does make for an engaging writing style utilization in atmospherical storytelling - all while exploring traditional LGBTQI themes , in both a real and symbolic sense . Thelmamakes for an effectively glum and resonant piece of Norwegian - flavored filmmaking , even as it bring more innovational stories to mind .
Thelma herself ( Eili Harboe ) is a young woman who is just beginning her studies at a university in Oslo , having previously been raise in the Norwegian countryside by her parents - Trond ( Henrik Rafaelsen ) and Unni ( Ellen Dorrit Petersen ) , a pair of good-hearted but strict Christians whose helicopter parenting of their daughter often borders on being tyrannical . Their worries seem overweening until one day , when Thelma abruptly suffers what is likely a seizure while studying in her school ’s library . However , when examined by the university ’s doctor , Thelma shows no preindication of epilepsy or similar neurologic disorder .
Returning to her day to 24-hour interval activities thereafter ( and make up one’s mind not to order her parent about what pass off ) , Thelma settles comfortably into her new liveliness and even makes a champion in Anja ( Kaya Wilkins ) - a new woman whose stake in Thelma ( and vice versa ) starts off seemingly platonic in nature , but is prompt to evolve into something else . As her relationship with Anja continues to grow and the pair grow closer and more versed with one another , Thelma finds herself struggling with not only feelings of shame that stem from her upbringing , but fear that she possesses nebulous ability - power that even her parent may have long kept mysterious from her .
The screenplay forThelma , which Trier drop a line with his frequent collaborator Eskil Vogt , very much bring to mind works like Stephen King’sCarrie , among other fancy and/or horror come of age stories about vernal societal outcasts who regain themselves gifted with extraordinary ( and grave ) ability . However , whereas something likeCarrietakes a melodramatic approach to its geographic expedition of the dangers of spiritual fundamentalism and emotional inhibition / contumely , Thelmais far more hushed and restrain in its methods . Trier ’s film also weaves a touching narrative of first beloved into its narrative tapestry , as a counterpoint to the more threatening secret plan threads touch on its namesake ’s mysterious powers . The Latinian language between Thelma and Anja is more compelling than the supernatural repugnance film expression , but the marriage ceremony of these elements is successful all the same .
Thanks to the photography by Trier and cinematographer Jakob Ihre ( another one of the filmmaker ’s trusted collaborators),Thelmamaintains a cold yet striking appearance and vérité sensibility throughout its runtime . This in crook allows the film to swimmingly merge together different filmmaking style , vagabond from shots that accent a good sense of Platonism and mise en scène , to dreamlike and subjectively - redact episode that showcase the full extent of Thelma ’s supernatural abilities . At the same time , Thelma ’s chili pepper and often bleak color palette is n’t all that groundbreaking from a ocular standpoint ; the film very much has the look and feel of the average European arthouse feature . All the same , Trier ’s strong management allows the movie to cast its magic spell and pull viewers into its troubled protagonist ’s headspace .
Harboe further anchors the proceedings inThelmawith her public presentation , shining in the role of a young somebody who ’s follow out of their shell for the first time - and moderately horror-struck to discover the truth about who they are . The film examines its namesake in deepness too , affording Harboe the chance to glow in moments that explore everything from Thelma ’s sexual waking up to her acquire realisation that there are thing about herself ( and psychic trauma from her past ) that she and her family have long kept bundled up . Anja is n’t as layer in her depiction by comparison , but Wilkins has dear screen chemistry with Harboe and their scenes together are poignant , throw it all the easier to become emotionally invested in their future together as a couple .
While the pic could have easily descended into stereotyping with its portrayal of Thelma ’s spiritual and conservative parents , both Trond and Unni are finally stage in a sympathetic ( and complicated ) Christ Within here . Rafaelsen ’s soft - spoken performance , in especial , serves the character reference of Trond well , let him to follow off as a genuinely nurturing , yet very flawed and quietly menacing , patriarchal bod in his daughter ’s life history . Thelmatelegraphs some of the more spectacular reveals about Thelma and her family ’s backstory , but the firm acting from Rafaelsen and Petersen bestow these revealing more emotional weight than they might have possessed otherwise .
Between its moving performance and impressive cinematic workmanship , Thelmamakes for a very unspoiled ( and , in some ways , quietly subversive ) slice of genre filmmaking . The film ’s reliance on conventions plant by other iconic works foreclose it from being a full - blown track blazer itself , but it nonetheless makes for a noteworthy addition to the larger pantheon of story that search coming of old age subject through the lens of fantasy and/or horror . Both fans of Trier ’s previous production and those cinema devotee who are new to his body of work - or really anyone who is intrigue by the estimate of a film that could be ( and has been ) described as the " Scandinavian combining weight ofStranger matter " - have fair ground to giveThelmaa flavour ; all the more so , now that the movie has been take as Norway ’s official debut for next year ’s Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nominations .
TRAILER
Thelmais now screening in theaters in New York and start playing in Los Angeles start out Friday , November 24 ( before boom to other marketplace in the weeks thereafter ) . It is 116 minutes long and is Not Rated - though the Norse - nomenclature film , which is presented with English subtitles , is intended for mature audiences and contains grownup terminology , force , and some sexual content .
Kaya Wilkins and Eili Harboe in Thelma
Kaya Wilkins and Eili Harboe in Thelma
Henrik Rafaelsen in Thelma
