de facto film reviews 3 stars

Armand is a story about the nature of truth, and perception. It is about the lengths one is willing to go to exact a toll, and how that affects others around them. As the story begins, two young boys, around six years of age, have become involved in a possible sexual assault incident-one boy allegedly hurting the other-at their elementary school in Norway. The teacher and administrators do not feel calling protective services is the right move, nor the actual police, and so decide to summon the mother of the alleged perpetrator and the parents of the alleged victim, a child named Jon. As the film winds on, we see that these two families were once close. Yet, something has divided them.

Courtesy IFC Films

IF only the film lived up to the full promise of this premise. Renate Reinsve, who is quickly becoming the new Liv Ullman of Scandinavian and Nordic cinema, turns in an impressive performance as Elisabeth, the mother of the title character, who is the one accused of forcing himself on a friend. The director of the film, Halfdan Ullmann Tendei, the grandson of Ingmar Bergman, seems to have some of his grandfather about him. There are moments the film is philosophical and contemplative, as well as just “physical” enough in its emotional demonstrations. Yet, the film also meanders.

Full Spoilers: If the accuser’s mother is the sister of the accused’s father, why is this familial relationship never brought up? It is implied, of course, that such a relation is a fact, because Armand’s father, who committed suicide-the inciting incident to Jon’s mother’s fury-is the sister of Jon’s mother. She blames Elisabeth for this death. Instead, we are made to view this as two friends who broke apart when one dated the other’s sibling and that sibling died. The depth of the relations and the complexity of interconnections, which is hinted at, is never followed up with and it is a huge missed opportunity for drama.

Courtesy IFC Films

Instead, the audience is subjected to curious, Lynchian-Bergmanian waking dream sequences, done as interpretative style fugue states Elisabeth finds herself entering as the weight of the accusations against her and her son begin to fall down upon her. How representative these are of what is unspoken, or if they simply represent inner torment and distortion of reality, is left to the viewer. Indeed, for some of the holes in the film, this is an ambitious feature that is well acted and directed with great style.

It is a shame, though, that the style sometimes gets in the way of the storytelling, rather than enhancing or becoming a part of it. There are times the film seems to be making things up as it goes along and others where it all makes sense. Making sense may not be the point of the film, as the story told is one about worlds turned upside down. It is possible that the director is attempting to replicate a sense of unease and uncertainty. The film begins with a speeding car and a confused meeting between staff members at the school, and ends with a mysterious shot of a hand. Is this the hand of fate, perhaps?

Courtesy IFC Films

Yet for all these quibbles, the film is worth seeing. It is worth seeing for the performances, for the shadowy photography and for the ways in which it approaches questions of truth and responsibility. That it ultimately leaves the audience with more questions than answers is not a negative. The best art traditionally makes you think, and consider other approaches. This makes sense here, given the lineage of the director. His grandfather would approve of this film.

Armand opens in select theaters on 2/7.