2015/03/25

Day sixteen: Troubled Water (March, 25)

Is there a possibility of redemption for commiting a crime? For being considered a bad person? A criminal one?

Erik Poppe, the danish director of Adam's Apples, the movie from Day Twelve: March, 21, seems to think that there are no such thing as good and bad people. Beyond all archetypes - the good priest, the bad criminal, the beloved mother - there are only human beings. 

Human beings that can see themselves before impossible situations in life.  

After Adam's Apples, I got curious about Poppe, and tried to find his other films. This was not an easy task, but the fabulous Rodrigo (aka one of my dearest friends) found the other two for me. And today, at lunch time, we watched to Troubled Water (DeUsylinge). At the end, we looked at each other and said: wow. Nodding  in amazement for what we've just seen. And listened.

Yes, because part of the story is told through the thunderous sound of a church organ. A sound that dominated my feelings, my thoughts, my view, and told me about an unspeakable sadness. That tells about something that we try to explain, judge or justify, but we are not able to: the impossible futility of violence. 

I use to think that challenged realities and difficult times make great art. I don't know if the Nordic society is troubled, but their movies are, and they present fundamental refletions about today's life for us that live in this absurd, yet amazing, world. 

Distorted close-ups, inumerous flashbacks, music, two character's different views: all of these elements tell together a story about violence and the multiple aspects that seem to lead to loss.  We walk through Poppe's story with his images and sounds. We are guided piece by piece until we can see before us a puzzle that has no end, actually. Because those lives, despite the movie's end, are not over. We keep it in thoughts, in sensations, trying to make sense of something that has no explanation. 

At last, it is important to highlight Pål Sverre Hagen's performance as Jan Thomas. His face tells too much, and the close-ups on his expression put us on all the sadness, guilt and need for atonement that this story carries.  


 Troubled Water (DeUsynlige). Directed by Erik Poppe.
With: Pal Sverre Hagen, Trine Dyrholm, Ellen Dorrit 
Petersen. Writer: Harald Rosenlow Eeg. Norway/
Sweden/Germany, 2008, 115 min., Dolby Digital, 
Color (DVD). 





PS: Fragment: Her, 2013 - a movie that I've seen so many times that I lost account... But I got hooked on it every time. And the soundtrack  is beautiful. Heartbreaking.

3 comments:

  1. Pra comentar, coloquei Brigde Over Troubled Water, com o Elvis. Sou um fã absoluto do Elvis, que o diga meu cachorro que carrega o nome do rei. Mas cá entre nós, não teve mais o mesmo impacto, como na cena da igreja e do órgão, onde o Thomas toca. E já sei o porquê de ter sido essa a música escolhida: além da redenção a que ela nos remete, acho que por trás dela há algo de atemporal (seja no órgão, seja com o Elvis). É aquela coisa de águas passadas, mas que mesmo assim imprimem sentimentos e sensações. Enquanto a água passa, talvez o Thomas pense nisso. Talvez a Agnes pense nisso.

    Concordo com o final: "Wow". Ponto. Afinal, ser sincero, mesmo numa película, pode ser algo forte, de acabar com as palavras. Vou digerir esse filme ainda por muito.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPScxJlaLbc

    PS: Português... é... Me enrolaria todo com o Inglês aqui. kkkkkk

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    Replies
    1. Rodrigo, você pode comentar até m japonês:) Embora, no caso, eu tivesse de apelar para o google tradutor rs.

      Bridge Over Troubled Water é toda Simon & Garfunkel para mim - influência de uma irmã que era fan deles. Com o órgão, ficou mesmo impactante.

      Obrigada pelo filme e pela companhia!!!! Sempre!

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  2. Cá estou eu, ouvindo o órgão de novo. Tá no repeat pela quarta vez!

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