SunnyHello Nice effects though.

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

AutCuddly Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

Adeel Hail Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Stephen Nolan Is it always possible to forgive someone, no matter how heinous the crime? Is it always possible to forgive ourselves and put at ease a conscience that wrestles with itself day and night? Jan Thomas Hansen, the protagonist of the film 'Trouble Water', leads us on a journey that meditates on forgiveness and atonement in light of tragedy and heartbreak. The role of love, guilt, music and faith in the human condition and transformation of the individual is explored from both the perspective two characters. Hansen is looking to establish his life outside of prison, where he was recently released for the kidnapping and murder of a small child. Despite his efforts to hide his dark past, Hansen is followed by Agnes, the victim's mother, after she discovers he is now an organist at a church. The new beginning that Hansen seeks is a huge theme throughout the film. He befriends Anna, the priest of the church and her young son Jens. Throughout the first half of the film, we follow Thomas and witness his constant flashbacks to the incident for which he was imprisoned. The second half of the film switches our focus, as we begin following Agnes, who had been an invisible presence in Thomas' narrative. 'Troubled Water', directed by Erik Poppe, presents a gripping narrative that essentially boils down to one concept - forgiveness. Life is painful, our conscience will always haunt us, we will be overcome by doubt, but redemption is possible.The technique of depicting the same narrative from the perspective of two characters is the driving force behind the film's success. The more the plot unravels, the more difficult it becomes for the viewer to side with one of the characters. In many films, it is all to easy to only consider the perspective of the character the camera follows. By depicting the story from the sides of two characters, Poppe removes this simplicity for the audience. We are given the opportunity to empathize with two extremely different people who have both had their lives torn apart by the child's death. Poppe's characterization of Hansen allows to support his attempt to start a new life and find meaning in his affair with Anna. Yet when the focus shifts, we witness the devastation of Agnes, who has been unable to stop grieving over the loss of her son. The split narrative forms a rich coalescence of tension, pain, grief and hope.Poppe's use of music throughout the film is incredibly powerful. Thomas uses the organ to express his deepest thoughts and emotions, while utilizing it as a means to search for atonement. The tragic beauty of the music he is producing is reflected in the close-up camera shots of his face while playing. His face reflects his deep vulnerability and sadness. The most poignant moment of the film is when Hansen plays "Bridge Over Troubled Water", a song about forgiveness, for children visiting the church. The moment becomes even more powerful when we realize that Agnes is also a part of Hansen's audience. It reflects his deep longing for forgiveness and for a new beginning in his life.The recurring motif of water as a symbol for new beginnings is powerful. This is emphasized by the title of the film, 'Trouble Water', which is emphasizes literally throughout the film, as many scenes involve water. The young boy is killed in water, Hansen is attacked in jail using water, Agnes regularly swims to escape her constant grief and baptismal water is frequently mentioned. Just as water is responsible for the death of Agnes' son in the beginning, it is the scene of his rebirth in the conclusion when he saves Jens and confesses his guilt to Agnes. Water becomes a marker of life and death. 'Troubled Water' is a wonderful examination of the complexities of the human condition. It explores the need for forgiveness in a way that I had never witness before. I enjoyed the film thoroughly. The split narrative heightened my enjoyment of the film, although I felt a little let down when the story reset to the beginning just as it reached the climax in the middle of the film. The performances of the lead actors was strong and drove the film forward through the quieter moments. I found myself sympathizing with both characters throughout the film, regularly switching my allegiance as more information was revealed. The music was incredible and it was utilized brilliantly to convey the emotions of Hansen. Ultimately, the film conveys a deeply profound message of hope and renewal.I would definitely recommend this film. It is full of emotion and the director does a magnificent job of piecing together the different puzzle pieces of the narrative. Poppe proves himself again to be a wonderful director, and the characterization and camera work continually engage the viewer throughout the film. 'Trouble Water' holds many surprises and is most certainly worth viewing.

Payne McMillan Erik Poppe's film Troubled Water De Usynlige (2008) shows the riveting narrative of a young man attempting to readjust after being freed from prison. Similar to Poppe's critically acclaimed, Hawaii, Oslo, this movie looks at how the lives of random people crossover and the dynamics of these intricacies. The film initially focuses on the recently incarcerated Jan Thomas Hansen (Pål Sverre Hagen), to the family who suffered because of his crime. Troubled Water is incredibly powerful film, effectively using a lot of religious themes and symbolism. Although this saturation of Christian imagery may be off-putting for a secular audience, if given a chance, this film portrays the church in a very positive manner, and delivers a message of redemption that sends the audience away feeling much warmer than they could have expected at the movie's commencement. When Thomas is released from jail, he surrenders his first name, Jan. Though this is for the practical purpose of being less recognizable from his case, which gained him a rather high profile, it also serves the purpose of showing his rebirth as a new person, rather than the wrongdoer who got him imprisoned. His crime: infanticide. Having few personable skills and soaked in self-loathing—killing a child has made him a detestable character to even the other inmates—Thomas takes his only skills, that of an organist, and finds employment in a church where he takes on a Quasimodo-esque role as an outcast musician. Even though he socially isolates himself, the church proves to be a welcoming place in which all people, whole and broken, are able to commune together. Thomas is continuously reminded of his dark past though, as he repeatedly encounters the priest's son, Jens, who reminds him quite a bit of the boy he killed. Thomas' encounters with the boy are masterfully caught by the camera; though the boy is cute and unthreatening, he pops up unexpectedly like the villain in a slasher flic, and terrifies Thomas. To him, Jens initially is a specter of his past, relentlessly reminding him of his old sins. But the priest, Anna (Ellen Dorrit Peterson) comforts Thomas until he is rehabilitated and is able to be around her son without freaking out. Harald Rosenløw-Eeg's screenplay is brilliantly baffling. It turns the perpetrator victim narrative entirely upside down as the audience comes to pity Thomas, the initial criminal. The story then breaks our hearts as we see the mother of the deceased, Agnes (Trine Dyrholm), step into Thomas' old shoes and transform into a terrifying stalker. Though her intentions are good (she is afraid that Jens will befall the same fate as her son did in the hands of Thomas) her methods are brazen. Whenever she creeps behind her son's killer, the camera takes on her vantage point, down to the lock of hair which obscures her vision in the upper left side of the screen. These shots are menacing. As Agnes sinks into depravity, it becomes unclear what her intentions are: whether she means to help Anna or hurt Thomas. The plot comes full circle when Agnes kidnaps Jens right under Thomas' nose. Even the names of the couples mirror each other: Jon and Agnes, Jan and Anna. Poppe's cinematographic choices also highlight the themes of baptism and renewal prevalent in the screenplay. Whenever the characters wade out into the deep river water, the image is reminiscent of Jesus' baptism in the Jordon. Eventually, Thomas' revisit of this location gives him the absolution that he has been seeking throughout the film. The anguished Agnes also is able to find the peace that she needs to be happy again in this encounter. They truly are able to wash away their troubles here. Before watching Troubled Waters I do recommend reviewing chapter twenty of the Gospel of John. This will lead to a richer understanding of the comparison between this films protagonist and the character "Doubting Thomas." Disbelief is another prevalent motif that all of the main characters have in common; even Anna who testifies to the power of belief in God without evidence has trouble believing her lover when she is in a difficult predicament. Perhaps the heavy allusion to this story is a way Poppe is appealing Christianity to his largest audience, Norwegians: a population that is constantly inching further away from an active religious identity. Either way, this film is a testament to the power of forgiveness and healing, which becomes easier when we are able to admit our transgressions rather than trying to deny or rewrite them in order to become a renewed person.If nothing else, this film is worth watching for the astoundingly beautiful organ music.

Hitchcoc I just chanced upon this film. It is the story of a young man who makes a horrible mistake. Like so many bad decisions, this act directed the rest of his life. Now we find him out of prison, trying to hold on to a job as a church organist. What I thought was really a good move was to be sure that many were aware of his past. It would have been a much weaker film if he had secretly kept those in authority in the dark about why he was where he was. The interactions of the characters are believable and real. He develops a relationship with a woman and her child and then has to face the fact that his trust needs to be earned. He is filled with guilt and would like to start over, but his every move is scrutinized; his actions are being observed by the woman for whose child's death he is held responsible. The grieving of the family is palpable and it is hard to blame them. The central theme of forgiveness is here all along. How often have we heard that failure to forgive can poison us eventually. That is at work here again and it is handled impressively. The acting is subdued and controlled. There is no citizenry carrying pitchforks. I recommend this movie without hesitation.

Cinish Narayanan While watching the movie, I felt that this is an exceptional movie and wondered why this movie does not figure along with the greats. Reminded me of 'Blue' for some reason.Acting is superb and wonderfully subdued acting from the accused protagonist to contrast with the expressive hysterical acting from the mother.The presentation is so very realistic and the plot is so original - never seen a story like this before.Technique of story telling took an interesting turn when the movie started presenting the same timeline in the life of the parents intersecting naturally and unobtrusively with the thread of the accused's life.Certain pieces of organ music in the movie are very striking.There are a few intimate scenes that have been very aesthetically presented. There is no background music whatsoever in the movie and it feels excellently real.Towards the end of the movie, certain aspects did not fit perfectly. The maker wanted to make the central thread take one decisive knot but unfortunately the build up was slightly unnatural.So many unusual things happen in the movie but a very high percentage of these are explainable by the emotional plight of the protagonists.Otherwise, it is a perfect screenplay.There is mastery in all the little little details.Very aesthetic.