Film Review: ARMAND (2024): Renate Reinsve Delivers a Powerhouse Performance in a Fascinating Dramatic Film
Armand Review
Armand (2024) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel and starring Renate Reinsve, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Øystein Røger, Thea Lambrechts Vaulen, Endre Hellestveit, Vera Veljovic-Jovanovic, Janne Heltberg, Karen Chika Gjølmesli and Øyunn.
In Armand, filmmaker Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel creates an uncomfortable, thought-provoking scenario that is discussed at length. While the film is sure to draw viewers into the dark material it presents, it is certainly nerve-wracking to watch at times. This is Norway’s submission for the Oscars this year and one can see why. Renate Reinsve’s performance in Armand is one that should be in the discussions for Best Actress at the Academy Awards even though this is one of the most crowded years for actresses of all-time. Still, Reinsve’s portrayal of Elisabeth, a mother on the edge of sanity, is played to frightening perfection.
Elisabeth is a mom who’s come to a school at off-hours to discuss her son, Armand, and his alleged actions towards another student named Jon. This film intrigues the viewer from the outset and, because Reinsve’s turn is so unpredictable, this movie is one of the most daring and disturbing movies I’ve seen in recent years.
Jon’s parents, Sarah (Ellen Dorrit Petersen) and Anders (Endre Hellestveit), are there to protect their son from harm but even Anders shows moments of sympathy towards Elisabeth, an artist who has been beaten up by life’s occurrences. Elisabeth is a loose cannon but with good reason. The head of the interviewing committee is Jarle (Øystein Røger) and his assistant, Ajsa (Vera Veljovic-Jovanovic) has occasional nosebleeds that disrupt the proceedings regarding Armand and his behavior.
Armand is a six-year-old boy who was said to have potentially sexually threatened Jon. The fact that these kids are so young automatically will make the viewer feel disgusted by the possibilities. For the majority of the movie, no kids are ever shown on-screen in person though we see a picture of a child named Thomas who met a dire fate prior to the primary incident that drives the picture’s plot. Only at the end does a kid appear and it’s just for a brief moment or two.
Thea Lambrechts Vaulen plays Sunna, the teacher in the school who brings the parents in for the conference the film revolves around. Vaulen’s performance is very strong as an educator who feels torn in terms of the way she interprets the frustrating events that are said to have allegedly happened. Vaulen displays confusion on-screen quite convincingly as Sunna tries her best to keep the parents in check, especially the live-wire Elisabeth.
This film’s piece-de-resistance is a scene where Reinsve’s character bursts into uncontrollable laughter as she becomes consumed by the supposed events that have been presented to her by those at the school. Reinsve is perfect in this part of the movie, especially, as we see all her pain and passions displayed on-screen in these moments There are some fantasy sequences, too. One has Elisabeth dancing and freeing herself emotionally from the pain she is experiencing while another one is a bit more disturbing as moms of other children seem to be smothering her in fragments of frightening intensity.
Let’s not forget Petersen’s turn as Jon’s mother. Petersen is absolutely riveting as Sarah takes a stance against Elisabeth although she, as Armand’s mom, has been there for Jon in the past. Petersen and Hellestveit are quite interesting as they debate the situation at hand and plot developments are revealed which complicate the already unnerving scenario. Røger also delivers a precise performance as his character has moments which tie in to that child named Thomas whose role in the plot I certainly will not reveal here.
The fire alarm in the school in this movie is not working correctly which triggers false alarms which disrupt the proceedings and eventually take the audience out of the school towards the end for an unforgettable scene in the rain where people make a decision to stand behind a particular central character in the movie.
Armand is a difficult movie to watch because of its thematic elements which may be a deal-breaker and make certain viewers not want to see it. But, Reinsve’s performance is absolutely sensational as she runs a gamut of intense emotions during the course of the film which could be frustrating at times for the audience and with good reason. Reinsve’s turn, however, is so strong that the movie captivates and doesn’t steer the viewer away from the material once one becomes invested in the film and its story line.
In the final moments, Armand can become a little ambiguous. Though Elisabeth has suffered a tremendous amount of tragedy in her life, there could still be hope at the end for her larger-than-life character. From the forceful moment Reinsve enters the film as she walks through the school the movie showcases, you can sense that Reinsve created this character very diligently and her performance is ultimately unforgettable in a movie which doesn’t offer any easy answers to the difficult situations it proposes.
Rating: 8/10
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