THELMA

THELMA

Joachim Trier made quite a name for himself with his last film, "Louder Than Bombs" with Jesse Eisenberg and Isabelle Huppert. It was a great boost to a relatively unknown Norwegian directors fledgling career. Surely his next film would put him over the top. Well, not quite!

"Thelma", starring Norwegian starlet Eili Harboe in the titular role, follows the coming of age of a young lady who not only learns about her own sensuality and sexual preferences, but also that she has telekinetic powers.

The film opens with Thelma as a young girl on a hunting trip with her dad Trond (Henrik Rafaelsen). They are out looking for deer and upon spotting one, Trond levels his rifle at Thelma - but decides not to shoot. Clearly something isn't right here.

The film fast forwards to present day with Thelma going off to college and trying to study. Alas she has an unexpected seizure which she initially thinks is because of epilepsy. Nothing comes of it save for a couple of dead birds that smashed into the schools windows.

However, after her seizure, she meets Anja (Kaya Wilkins) a lovely student with sexy Mediterranean features. Almost immediately they are drawn to each other and are soon intimately sucking face.

Several flashbacks later, we learn that as a child Thelma made her infant baby brother disappear because she was jealous of him. This left her parents very upset with her, ergo the moment of her dads tempation to shoot her. He choses not to, which leaves her to awkwardly wield her power to make other people disappear.

The story never gets suspenseful though it is beautifully filmed and the acting is serviceable. Trier spend a lot of time on the erotic scenes, but in the end they don't move the story along.

"Thelma" is a lightweight Norwegian version of Stephen King's "Carrie - only with an adequate amount of sensuality and nudity. Ah yes, those kinky Europeans! [VOD] -- GEOFF BURTON

GEOFF BURTON

RETURN TO CINEMATREK HOME