Product Description: UPC:786936756128 DESCRIPTION: From one of the producers of the Academy Award(R)-winning NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN(Best Picture, 2007), comes this critically acclaimed, postmodern Norwegian coming-of-age story. REPRISE follows two aspiring novelists and lifelong friends journeying down different paths after one's first novel receives wild acclaim and the other a pile of rejection slips. Filled with infectious energy, filmed in French New Wave style and featuring a stellar up-and-coming young cast, REPRISE is an extraordinary film you'll want to experience again and again. END
Orignal and Thoughtful In the debut film by Joachim Trier, childhood friends Erik and Phillip (Espen Klouman-Høiner and Anders Danielsen Lie) embark on a life in the arts. They send their first novel out on the same day. Only Phillip's is published. Phillip meets Kari and his seems like shallow inspiration compared with his passion for his girlfriend. For reasons which aren't made clear in the film, (a head injury from a car accident, passion, the pressure of fame?) Phillip has a nervous breakdown.
When Phillip leaves the mental institution, Erik gets his book published while keeping a careful eye on Phillip. Phillip realizes he isn't the artist he thought he was. He has no desire to write and feels that his first success was a good regurgatation of a writer hero he and Erik both admire. He hints that he believes Erik's novel may be the same. Erik isn't willing to accept this and decides to leave behind the negative influences on his art in Oslo. Phillip reenters the mental institution-probably for good. Phillip is destroyed by the fact that his dreams were disappointing and Erik embarks on another course-reaffirming his life ambition by continuing to write.
Gorgeously filmed, good acting and a stimulating script. Avoids all cliche and pretension and is very original. It may be a bit artsy and slow for some. Don't expect fireworks. But if you find the themes I mentioned interesting, you'll find some redemption in Reprise.
4.5 stars if you are a patient cinephile i really enjoyed this movie on several levels; the editing, acting, and gorgeous lighting are just a few of the positive aspects of this film. for example, i was not surprised that the director and cinematographer are big fans of of vermeer and john singer sargent. some of the individual shots in this film are set-up in just those styles. stunning. but, i would not recommend this film for everyone. this film draws on many film styles (french 'new wave' for one) that may confuse or seem 'artsy' to some viewers. this first time director i believe is very gifted and this is an excellent debut work. he has done his homework and created a beautiful work of art. if you are a patient viewer and have a bit of an artistic eye i'm confident you will enjoy this film. oh yeah, this film is funny! it took me a while to understand this. kind of you know when some of us americans don't get british humor? well, humor from norway is kind of like that. by the 2nd half of the film, i 'got it' a little more and let out some hearty chuckles. having said that, there are some serious downer themes in this film. and, that's the reason i ended-up taking half a star off my review. the film seems a bit confused about what it's message is. still, i highly recommend this film for the right type of viewer.
The Tortured (Norwegian) Artist Effect..... Two young writers, good friends, are headed on different trajectories. One (Phillip) gets published first, but later (for reasons murky) has a nervous breakdown. The other (Erik) one seems more screwed on and publishes later. They faces professional challenges, the problems of relationships and personal demons. Viktoria Winge is fetching as Kari, the girlfriend of Phillip.
REPRISE has at times the feel of a documentary. It is a "different" kind of movie and only by viewing it yourself will that make sense. The soundtrack is Norwegian punk rock, not bad, especially the catchy tune, "Finger-F--d by the Prime Minister."
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