Oslo, August 31 (Joaquim Trier, 2011): Norway

Reviewed by Angelica Silva. Viewed at AFI Fest 2011.

The film, Oslo, August 31st was an interesting story about a recovering addict and his immense amount of life struggles he is going through because of it. Director, Joaquim Trier tells this story in a strange and surprising way.

The story opens with a man and a woman’s voices. They are reminiscing about their memories of Oslo. The next scene is a young man Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie) walking into a river, grabbing a boulder and apparently trying to drown himself. He fails to do so. He shot up in the air gasping for oxygen.

Anders talks to a man who appears to know him well. He tells the man he is going to apply for a temporary job. The man is confused as he believes Anders has more potential than a temporary position. He does not agree with him and tells the man he is going to kill himself. His friend tries to convince him not to and that he is a better person than what he wants to be and is going to try to do.

Anders goes to the interview. Everything is going well. The employer seems to like him and even tells Anders he has a writing talent. Anders mistakenly brings up his previous addiction. States that he has been clean for some amount of time and the employer seems calm. Anders realizes what he said and immediately thinks the interview is done. He quickly gathers his things and scurries out of the interview. The employer is confused. He keeps saying that he is confused and does not know why he is leaving.

He goes home as fast as he can and scrambles through some drawers. He starts to do something aside from what the camera can see. He then is shown lighting up a piece of aluminum foil, wrapping his arm and injecting himself with heroin. He falls on his bed and dies.