I watched the movie with my two children at the cinema; a girl aged 8 and a boy aged 10.
The film is about friendship, love, exclusion, and bullying. The story is largely told by children, and the main character Amanda (played by Lilly Winger Schmidt) is performed very well and convincingly. This also applies to Lars (the focal point of the story, played by Adrian Øverjordet Vestnes), and the other supporting roles. The fact that Lars has Down syndrome is an important element in the core of the story, but it doesn't feel exploited or overused. No obvious clichés were noted either.
The film also focuses on bullying through mobile phones, the use of mobile cameras, and, not least, the (often invisible) cyberbullying in combination. This is done in a subtle way that very effectively conveys the underlying point, without being too obvious.
The story's main antagonist, Anna (played by Agnes Grønneberg Hagen), evokes strong (negative) emotions and plays the role of the antagonist well!
My children thought the film was both extremely sad and very good, and it became a much bigger topic of conversation afterward than the typical children's films we often see. All three of us went through the entire emotional spectrum, shedding several tears along the way. It was an experience!
The film is highly recommended for all school-aged children (but perhaps best from about 8 years and up), and for adults.
The film is about friendship, love, exclusion, and bullying. The story is largely told by children, and the main character Amanda (played by Lilly Winger Schmidt) is performed very well and convincingly. This also applies to Lars (the focal point of the story, played by Adrian Øverjordet Vestnes), and the other supporting roles. The fact that Lars has Down syndrome is an important element in the core of the story, but it doesn't feel exploited or overused. No obvious clichés were noted either.
The film also focuses on bullying through mobile phones, the use of mobile cameras, and, not least, the (often invisible) cyberbullying in combination. This is done in a subtle way that very effectively conveys the underlying point, without being too obvious.
The story's main antagonist, Anna (played by Agnes Grønneberg Hagen), evokes strong (negative) emotions and plays the role of the antagonist well!
My children thought the film was both extremely sad and very good, and it became a much bigger topic of conversation afterward than the typical children's films we often see. All three of us went through the entire emotional spectrum, shedding several tears along the way. It was an experience!
The film is highly recommended for all school-aged children (but perhaps best from about 8 years and up), and for adults.