90 minutes
Film review
Photo courtesy of Films of Norway
If you are looking for a feel-good movie, with its social realism, 90 minutes is definitely not the film for you.
GEIR MÆLAND
Films of Norway
This is a movie that is not something that will make you feel happy. In fact, you might end up feeling numb and uncomfortable. Yes, I know you now are thinking, “So, why should I spend time watching it?”
The answer is: Do not watch it if you are looking for something to cheer you up. Choose a feel-good movie like Beatles or Gilbert Grim, but if you are a bit fed up binge-watching TV series episodes and comedies and are ready to dive into something that will challenge your comfort zone on the psycho-dramatic side, 90 minutes might be the one that will take you there.
Photo courtesy of Films of Norway
Step inside the homes of those who do not fit into the rich and successful societies in Norway.
See a dark, disturbing reality, where the contrast is put on the edge, and the solution is violence.
Presumably, some of us have experienced it somewhere in our own family, friends, or perhaps our neighbors.
The movie takes us into this cruel reality, where we are stuck as “flies on the wall,” forced to be a part of something we wish to get away from. We still cling to the wall, as we are afraid that we will miss something and regret not staying until the bitter end.
Three separate storylines in one movie will keep you on the edge of your seat in frustration, as you witness the inside of relationships, where the lack of good communication forces a frustrated man to cross the line from verbal arguments into physical violence and abuse.
I have no idea where writer and director Eva Sørhaug got the idea to make this movie. Nor do I know if she had any experience of her own with violent men, but I am impressed by her insight and storytelling.
Photo courtesy of Films of Norway
She must have done extensive research on the topic, as this is the mark of a solid filmmaker, who has the ability to tell the stories in a way that will move you, make you think, and remember the movie for a long time.
It is a strong movie. The acting is outstanding, and the sound work is excellent.
It is just sad that the topic is so profoundly serious, that to keep the realism in the story, it has to be a sad experience for us as viewers.
The good thing is that for most of us, we can at any time switch off the movie if we don’t like it and move on with our own lives. But unfortunately, some people live in this kind of violent hell and do not have the possibility to escape to a better life—even here in Norway.
Well, I think that my next review should be a happy or uplifting one. So, until then, take care of yourself and the ones around you.
90 minutes (original title: 90 minutter)
Script: Eva Sørhaug
Director: Eva Sørhaug
Cinematography: Harald Gunnar PalgaardProduction: 4 ½ film
Year: 2012
Run time: 1 hour, 28 minutes
Genre: thriller/drama
Cast: Gjørn Floberg, Aksel Henie, Pia Tjelta, Ole Færden, Annmari Kastrup
To see 90 minutes in Norwegian with English subtitles, visit filmsofnorway.com.
This article originally appeared in the Oct. 22, 2021, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
