Our discussion was well attended with some new faces. This was an interesting, culturally different Norwegian film. It was likened to films made in French Canada, psychological and introspective.
One member of the group described this as a ‘coming of age’ movie. Julie doesn’t seem to know what she wants in relationships and in her career. A scene that shows her women descendants, going back to the 1700s, seemed important. With their large families and short life span, they didn’t have control over their lives either.
Julie’s final scenes as a photographer showed she had dealt with this element of her personality. She had appeared detached and alienated in her life – as one member of the group said, she had found her vocation looking through a lens.
It is only when she is drawn back to her former boyfriend, Aksel, who has cancer and is close to death, that we see a deeper side to her personality and her life issues are resolved. We found these scenes very poignant, with some moving acting.
We enjoyed the very fine soundtrack and the frozen action section of the film, when Julie runs to see the more down-to-earth Elvind, whom she connected with at a party.
I probably wouldn’t have stuck with the film if I’d seen it on TV, as the start was slow. That’s the truth. The characters weren’t that lovable, even though the acting was excellent. But I am glad I saw the whole film, if only to see so much of everyday Oslo
Anne
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