“I
go to encounter for the millionth time the
reality of experience…” - James Joyce
Have you ever seen a movie and wondered
afterwards, “what would have happened if…” or
“how would it have turned out if …?” The
immensely talented Joachim Trier (Oslo, August
31st) does the wondering for us in his
intelligent, innovative, and highly entertaining
Reprise. Using a fractured narrative that is
awash in flashbacks, flash-forwards, and
imaginative fantasies, the film moves with a
dazzling rush of energy, propelling us into the
world of aspiring writers Erik Høiaas
(Espen Kloumer-Hoinen) and Phillip (Anderson
Danielsen Lie), both in their twenties. While
Reprise has its quiet moments of contemplation,
it mostly moves at an energizing pace,
displaying images from each character's past and
examining a stream of potential outcomes in an
alternate universe.
As the two friends stand in front of a mailbox
ready to mail the manuscript of their first
novel to potential publishers, an unidentified
narrator (displayed in italics) speculates about
what might happen in certain situations,
presumably reflecting the imaginings of each
character. In their minds, the novels become so
successful that they have worldwide
repercussions. They are banned by the Vatican,
cause disillusionment in the Dalai Lama, and
create a revolution in an East African country.
When we at last return to reality, Erik's novel
titled “Prosopopoeia” is rejected while
Phillip's work is published and he achieves
recognition as a major young talent.
Phillip falls deeply in love with Kari (Viktoria
Winge), a glowing part-time student and
salesperson, and they visit Paris together in a
trip so perfect that they attempt to recreate it
later in the film, but little of the original
magic remains. Unable to handle fame, Phillip
attempts suicide and lands in a psychiatric
hospital, his doctor attributing his breakdown
to his obsessive love for Kari, a cause that
prompts his mother to remove all pictures of
Kari from Phillip's room. Phillip recovers but
his mental health remains fragile, flying high
one minute and immersed in despair the next.
Meanwhile, Erik continues to work on his novel
which is finally published, but when it receives
some negative reviews, and a TV interview goes
badly, he likewise teeters on the brink of
losing control.
Reprise has many ups and downs and, at times,
seems to go overboard in its attempt to be
clever, but it has a charm and wit that keeps us
engaged throughout and we never doubt the
humanity of the characters. Lie in particular is
a very expressive actor and the pained look on
his face (even when he's smiling) creates a lot
of empathy. His game of counting down from ten
to zero conjures up various scenarios from
possible suicide to a breakthrough into another
realm of being, but we are left to guess what he
has in mind. Through it all, the friends support
each other even in the most difficult times.
Reprise is not only a film about letting go of
illusions, but also about the tortuous path of
the creative process. A Scandinavian “Portrait
of the Artist as a Young Man,” Reprise is a
coming of age film with a difference.
