Oslo, August 31st

Filmmaker Joachim Trier’s followup to 2006’s Reprise, Oslo, August 31st follows recovering drug addict Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie) as he leaves his rehab facility for the first time and spends the day catching up with old friends and attempting to find his place in society. It’s a familiar storyline that’s often far more captivating than one might’ve expected, as Trier does a superb job of initially drawing the viewer into the proceedings – with the film’s slow-moving atmosphere proving effective at transforming Anders into a compelling figure. The uneventfulness of the narrative is, at the outset, a little bit of a problem, yet there’s little doubt that things improve steadily as Anders heads out into the world and begins encountering familiar faces. (Ander’s visit with an old friend is certainly a highlight within the early part of the proceedings.) Trier’s handheld directorial choices prove effective at mirroring the low-key nature of the storyline, although, having said that, the director does a superb job of peppering the movie with sequences of a decidedly electrifying nature (including a spellbinding interlude in which Anders eavesdrops on conversations around him). Unfortunately, Oslo, August 31st does feature a second half that’s simply not as engrossing as the first – as Trier stresses Anders inevitable backslide into the world of drugs and drinking. It’s handled quite well, admittedly, but such moments are overly familiar and even conventional. Still, the movie does pick up for a grim yet memorable finale – which effectively confirms Trier’s place as one of the most promising new directors on the international scene.

*** out of ****