MovieChat Forums > Oslo, 31. august (2011) Discussion > Not really another 'addiction movie'

Not really another 'addiction movie'

posted 11 years ago by drnutkin
4 replies | jump to latest

The reviews I've read of this movie all portray it as being fundamentally about drug addiction and its isolating effects, which is obviously the major plot point, but that's not what I got from it at all really. To me it was much more about hopelessness and depression, not so much stemming from the addiction as the reason for it. I know other commenters have criticized the movie for trying too hard to be about big pseudo-existential/nihilistic ideas etc., which may or may not be true, but I thought it did a great job of accurately portraying a depressed mindset (as when he's talking with his old friend and compulsively shoots down any normally hopeful vision of life) as well as the ways this alienates other people who try to help. I think if you look at it as another "addiction movie" it may seem a little rehashed or unnecessary, but as a realistic kind of mood piece about out-of-control hopelessness I think it's definitely worth seeing.

[–] wantapieceapizza 11 years ago

Nice. It really reminded me of a cross between Murakami's Norwegian Wood (the book, never seen the movie), in which one of the main characters is depressed and goes into a mental health facility to try to get better, and Before Sunset.

The scene in the cafe where the girl is reading out what she would like in life is interesting because we all set some vague goals like that, but she lists so many, her "ideal" life, that I can't help but shake my head and think that she's too optimistic, which is probably what Anders is thinking as well.

[–] quellcode 8 years ago

Nice remark, and I felt that way, too. I thought it was much more about someone who's alienated from his surroundings, can't cope with the high expectations he has of himself, and his drug use might be more a way of dealing with this depression & hopelessness than a cause of it.

[–] jname967 8 years ago

Totally agree.

-Because though I was never an addict, this proves how universal this story is: I can still relate. Instead of addiction, I've spent the last few years of my life pursuing a lifelong dream that didn't come to fruition. As I stepped back, I realized: How can I live a life outside of this context??

Sound familiar? This movie utterly and indisputably captured my own story and predicament.

It's a quiet genius how it focuses on a sole person's plight within the context of a setting. Because that IS life! We are all people trying to find our PLACE in life, literally and figuratively.... Most of us will go through periods both prosperous (which is referenced in the protagonist's past), as well as moments of utter despair and austerity. We've all been there: feast and famine, in life.

[–] WarpedRecord 8 years ago

Very well put. I get the feeling he would have met the same end even if he had never used drugs – though he would have used a different means to that end, of course. This is a story about a lost soul who sees his outlook as hopeless. Drugs were just a detour in his life, a delaying tactic. Perhaps he would have met the same fate a decade earlier if not for drugs? That's pure speculation of course, but addiction is not at the hear of this film.

I found this a reasonably compelling film with strong performances, but the fact that the lead character was such a closed book kept me from completely appreciating it. Maybe that was the point. 7/10 stars from me.