Written and directed by Cristian Mungiu, Fjord is a topical drama and an emotional journey of a family in crisis.
Mihai (Sebastian Stan) and Lisbet (Renate Reinsve) have settled into a small, Norwegian town to start a new life with their five children. A family deeply rooted in its religious faith, they quickly assimilate within the community. When school staff notices bruises on the oldest daughter, Elia, protocol triggers an investigation that brings in authorities and law enforcement separating the children from their parents. When days turn into weeks in a country with its own sense of justice and morality, older, traditional values clash with a new world as Mihai and Lisbet, desperately defend themselves from accusations of abuse and fight the charges in order to keep their family together even as prison becomes a real possibility. As the world watches, their story takes on global implications amid media exposure.
Following a procedural much like Anatomy of a Fall, the film is a succession of methodically paced vignettes that build mood and tension. It offers no simple answers and, instead, presents a complicated world of progressive rules and laws that expose cultural and religious differences. The story becomes a kind of mystery that examines subtleties in how terms like ‘slap’ or ‘pat’ are strictly interpreted. It presents an intriguing question as to what is proper parenting and how does the state judge its people?
Impeccably
acted, Stan and Reinsve excel as the distraught parents whose love for
their family is counterpoint to their heartbreak and emotional upheaval. Presented
in languages including Norwegian, Romanian, and English, this compelling drama
will keep your attention up to its sober ending and a final line that will
linger in memory long after.
****1/2
of *****stars {Palme d’Or winner)
