Armand
Introduction
The urgency of a thriller is setup very early on in the Norwegian film Armand, Norway’s Official Submission to the Oscars of 2025. In its opening scene, you are privy to the lovely local landscapes of the countryside, even as a stationary camera on a moving car epitomizes the urgency. Soon the camera pans to a school, a supposed happy place for children except that this architectural structure is symbolic of gloom with its grey interiors that represent a horror mansion. The horror though lays in the incident that has supposedly transpired within the premises of the school, with their primary school teacher Sunna (Thea Lambrechts) being tasked to trigger a discussion between the two parties. We see Elizabeth (Renate Reinsve) entering the premises early almost in a state of panic before being calmed down with a misleading solace, until the other party Sarah (Ellen Dorrit Petersen) and Anders (Endre Hellestviet) entire the room that soon has tensions escalating.
Story & Screenplay
The premise of Armand is extremely triggering given that it involves a fierce and shocking accusation involving a s*xual assault of a toddler by another 6 year old. The catch in the story is that there are no eye-witnesses to the case and prompts the assemblance of ambiguity to creep in. The writing here thrives on the character dynamics that soon take center stage. The mood of the room from an early scene shifts from disbelief to ridicule, even with the grave accusations that are in store for Elizabeth, Armand’s mother who is the center of accusation here for assaulting Jon. Oddly, the writers are never interested in shifting focus to the kids that are never shown in the entire duration of the film. Instead, the focus remains on the adults, each of whom contribute to the larger dynamics of the drama. This, even as the setting of the school that stages the entire drama, remains claustrophobic through and through.
Some of the secondary players have interesting arcs as well. There is the school councellor Ajsa (Vera Veljovic-Jova)who often tries to add a vital solution to the proceedings before being interrupted by a runny bleedy nose, that cuts the tension for its viewers but also, escalates the flairing tensions in the room. You also have the school principal Jarle (Oystein Roger) who initially tries to take a backseat by pushing Sunna, an inexperienced teacher to deal with the situation before having to intervene. The idea was always to safeguard himself first along with the reputation of the school, not wanting the authorities to be involved. And then there is Sunna, an inexperienced primary school teacher who can’t help but share the critical details of the incident to a fellow teacher which in turn leaks on to the parents of other children, that further adds to the drama and chaos.
Amidst these subplots, the focus is on Elizabeth and Sarah, both of whom are revealed to once be best friends having grown up together, but now find themselves at loggerheads with each other. There is also a brief commentary about the profession of Elizabeth, as being an actor potentially changes the discourse of the room given the many perceptions that she is often subjected to. Yet, in a crucial scene at about the halfway mark that marks a shift in the tone of the film as well as a flickering shift to the cadence with respect to the perception of the character, you are witness to Elizabeth laughing uncontrollably, a scene that continues uncomfortably for far too long. What is perceived to be a ridicule to begin with, soon transforms into a nervous breakdown on part of Elizabeth that suddenly triggers a deluge of emotions with respect to her past. And this past of hers also brings out a range of secrets that would impact the dynamics of the case and her equation with Sarah.
There are almost parallel tracks that unfold, one reflecting the psyche of Elizabeth even as you randomly see her break into a dance. The second is a huge revelation that directs the drama to the abusive past of Elizabeth that ended with a tragedy. And the bearings of this past in conjunction with the case is what adds to the ambiguity of the drama. The idea perhaps was to get to the root of the issue as opposed to a reactionary decision. But at the same time, the core of the drama shifts to something more shocking that is implied along the way. You don’t entirely get the picture at the end of it, with the sound of the two characters interacting with each other drowning against the backdrop of the rain. But their reaction suggests a deeper reasoning into the case, that is deeply disturbing and deviating from the core that it began with. This may potentially divide the viewers too, even with brief traces of horror accompanying the narrative. But this ambiguity is what works best for the drama that doesn’t believe in providing judgments as we are contrary programmed to think, but instead, the solution also lies in delving deeper into their families that may have triggered a notion, or alternately, putting things to perspective while clearing the smokescreen with regard to the victim and the accused. The screenplay is really well written and makes for a deeply disturbing watch in a drama that lingers on after the film has ended.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are effectively in maintaining the levels of escalating tension in the drama. The music here is more symbolic, used to portray the psyche of Elizabeth even while blending itself with the eerie setup of the school. Its juxtaposition with respect to the drama might seem forced but it definitely adds a different flavour to the proceedings. The cinematography (Cannes Winner) is simply exceptional with frames that perfectly represent the grimness in the atmosphere. It is almost symbolic of the drama that offers no hope and respite to any of the characters, who seem to be trapped in this never ending labyrinth of claustrophobia. The editing is sharp and crisp while seamlessly switching the tone of the drama at the halfway mark while keeping the tension in the drama, intact. Director Halfdan Ullmann does a remarkable job in creating a lingering conflict in the minds of the viewers with regard to its ambiguity. His brilliant setup is quickly backed by an interesting mix of characters that are complex by their very nature, that further escalates the tension in the drama. The director masterfully shifts perceptives that would definitely make you ponder on the ultimate future of the characters while subtly hinting at the stigmas of the society in which we bring up children. The direction is excellent here.
Performances
The performances are incredibly good here. Vera Veljovic-Jova as Ajsa is often used as a comic relief and she does a fine job here. Oystein Roger as Jarle also makes his presence felt. Endre Hellesveit as Anders is pretty good in a performance that is quite dignified even with his fleeting antics. Ellen Dorrit Petersen as Sarah is phenomenal to watch in a character that is quite layered with a rather rigid mindset. The dichotomy of the situation that arises for her towards the tapering end of the drama was complex, and she performed really well. Thea Lambrechts as Sunna is incredibly good, facing a dilemma of her own with regard to her character. She has a tremendous screen presence and she uses her body language perfectly to depict her under-confident behavior. Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person In The World and the more recent A Different Man) as Elizabeth is excellent to witness here. She showcases her emotional turmoil brilliantly with utmost control that never really wavers with the shifting tone. Her expressions are to die for, even while creating an atmosphere of ambiguity (remember that her character is an actor). This was one towering performance that stays with you after the film has ended.
Conclusion
As a part of our MAMI coverage, Norway’s Official Submission to the Oscars of 2025, Armand is a luring and claustrophobic psychological thriller that thrives in its ambiguity that makes for a phenomenal watch. Another drama, Highly Recommended from my end.