Movie Info:
Writer: Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Director: Joachim Trier
Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie, Viktoria Winge, Espen Klouman Hoiner, Elisabeth Sand, Sigmund Sæverud, Henrik Mestad, Odd Magnus Williamson
Rating: R
Studio: Miramax

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: September 2, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $23.99

Reprise can be somewhat tricky to classify because it is a foreign film. This automatically means that many people will rule it out because they will have to “read” the film. The majority of watchers for a subtitled film are artsy, intellectual types. That is unfortunate because there are a number of amazing foreign films that are ignored. Reprise is one of those films that may suffer from the issue of subtitles.

If you can get past the issue of subtitles, you may just find yourself a fan of Norwegian films, or at least this Norwegian film. If this film is any representation of the country’s filmmaking abilities it certainly says good things about Norwegian filmmakers. If I had to classify Reprise I would say that it is somewhere in the middle of drama and light comedy. There are definitely some laughs, but it’s not outright comedy, as there are plenty of serious moments, too. It’s one of those films that, like life, has no clear cut category to fall into. Come to think of it, that is probably one of the things that make it so good.

I think one of the reasons I like Reprise so much is because it is hard to classify. If I was talking with friends about it, I would be most likely to say, “You just have to see it.” I might tell them a thing or two about it, but it’s definitely one of those movies you just have to see to understand, because a description just isn’t going to do the film justice. The most important thing to know about this film is that the story is good and the actors do well in all of their respective roles.

One of the producers of Reprise also produced No Country for Old Men, another recent, excellent movie. Both movies are far from mainstream, which lends to the powerfully entertaining nature of the film. This was one of the things that prompted me to want to see Reprise because I loved No Country for Old Men. I don’t know that I can say that it is better or just as good, but I can say that this is certainly worth watching.

The Reprise Plot
Some might consider Reprise to be like a coming of age story. The plot revolves around two friends that want nothing more than to be professional novelists. Reprise plays out like a novel, perhaps even the novel that these two men, Erik (Espen Klouman Hoiner) and Phillip (Anders Danielsen Lie) so desperately want to create.

The two men have been friends since they were children. Things begin when both men send in their manuscripts in an attempt to get published and become authors. The film flashes forward in a sort of storytelling mode to let the audience see what could happen if both men get exactly what they want. Of course, it is not long before harsh reality rears its ugly head and we see the truth for exactly what it is, not what it has been imagined to be.

I hate to say a great deal more because I feel that it is so easy to give too much away in this inventive and complex storyline. I love the use of a narrator that writes and rewrites his way through the story as it happens. The narrator manages to add moments of humor or emotion to the story where it is needed.

Additionally, the flash-forward stance of the film lets you find out events that have occurred in the future, before you learn why they have happened. It is an interesting storytelling method to say the least and it’s also one to keep people interested.

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Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
Reprise is shown at an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 in anamorphic widescreen. There are some moments of edge enhancement and some notable soft spots throughout the film, but these are not problems that will disrupt the film in any way. The flaws are small in comparison to the ones I have seen in other films. The softness appears to possibly be a part of the filming, which could mean that it was planned. Either way, it is not something that detracts from the film and that is what is important more than anything else.

The audio is handled using Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. The film is foreign, but there are English and Spanish subtitles for people that are unable to understand the original language. The audio sounds good, despite being mainly relegated to front channels. With a good portion of the film being dialogue driven, this makes the most sense, though at times the back channels are used for a more dynamic sound.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
The majority of special features come in the form of featurettes. There is no commentary available, so the featurettes provide the bulk of the bonus feature substance here. While I loved the film, I was not overly hyped about the special features. It’s not that they were boring it’s just that they weren’t as involved as I would have liked. The featurettes include “Casting Reprise,” “All In Trier’s Details,” “Ancedotes,” “Love’s Not Easy,” and “So Sorry.” Also included are some deleted scenes and a few trailers.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
Ignore the fact that Reprise is a subtitled film and see it anyway. If you cannot commit to buying it then I highly recommend you at least rent it so that you can experience this amazing film. Though it is completely different than American cinema it certainly allows the American audience to take pause and see what they are missing for a change. This is definitely worthwhile and certainly comes recommended for viewing, if not purchasing.

Overall Rating:

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