What is "sin"?
In the first chapter of the Bible, "Genesis", the scripture tells people that: Adam, the first ancestor of mankind, was expelled from the Garden of Eden for "sin" and offended God (disobeying God's will). Since then, "sin" (Original sin) entered the bloodline of human beings, and it is endless.
What "sin" did Adam commit?
Eat the forbidden fruit (fruit of wisdom). He accepted the proposal of the woman (who was tempted by the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit), forgot God's commandments, ate the fruit that Eve plucked in the Garden of Eden, and finally fell into the snare of "sin".
The continuation of sin, from ancient times to the present, has not changed, and it has intensified. In the end, people who have nowhere to escape can only sigh...
Danish film The Sinner
Genre: Thriller
Main Cast: Jakob Cedergren
Story overview: Asger, a former police officer (now a police station operator), received a phone call at work. The woman on the phone (Iben) claimed that she had been kidnapped. In order to find the truth (out of police instinct and responsibility), Asger began to Use the phone to find clues about the case, and finally find out, the truth of the incident is shocking...
Release Date: October 26, 2018 in the UK
There is a Nordic film with good looks, the story is neat, the structure is rigorous, the actors are involved in the play, and the connotation is profound. Such a film is enough to be deeply attracted by watching it once, like a mellow wine, intoxicating.
Next, let us walk into the film together and relive the classics.
1. The idea of the film
Throughout the whole work, its conception is exactly the same as that of "Blocking the Phone Booth" in 2003 and "Rock" in 2013. All similarities:
a, both use the phone, which is an important prop that carries the whole film
b, an actor in a play, attracts the audience's attention with strength and acting skills
c. Promote the trend of the plot and drive the rhythm of the story through dialogue (specifically, the lines).
d. Confined space, the unchanging office layout, the ever-changing mood of the protagonist, one static and one moving, using static braking, using dynamic to complement static, wonderful to the top
The perfect idea, combined with the pure and delicate narration of Nordic directors, makes the work show an amazing effect in the end.
2. The story is neat
A work with a layout like this, an actor, a fixed scene, and a phone call, just relying on the protagonist's one-man show (talking, dialogue, body movements) to pull and adjust the rhythm of the story is quite difficult, and it is possible to achieve this by coordinating all aspects. good effect. Here, we must pay special attention to the neatness of the story. "Tightness and refinement" are essential, and "loose and loose" must be rejected.
Without further ado, let's dive into the storyline and find out.
Protagonist: Asger, a delegated police officer (waiting for the final court ruling), the current police station temporary operator
Cause of incident: A woman named Iben called for help (declaring she was kidnapped and kept in a moving vehicle)
Event process: look at two parts (the first part: the first 1 hour; the second part: the second half hour)
In the first hour of the film, the story focuses on "How Asger coordinated with all parties to find rescue opportunities. Including notifying the territorial police station to send a vehicle to search for the white van; calling Iben's daughter (whose brother has been killed) to find more clues; Suspect Michael (Miguel, Iben's ex-husband) communicates and searches for flaws"
In this 1-hour plot, there are several clues that deserve the attention of the audience.
a, A call from a reporter (directly to Asger's cell phone) asking about "appearing in court".
b, Asger's communication with his former boss, hoping that he can send police officers to find Iben's whereabouts.
c, Asger's conversation with a former colleague, hoping that he could drive to Michael's residence and conduct a search.
Three calls, three responses
a, Asger hung up the reporter angrily
b, Asger reluctantly hangs up the phone of his former boss
c, Asger happily hangs up the phone of his former colleague
These phone conversations, which seem to have nothing to do with the main line of the story, play a pivotal role in the subsequent reversal of the plot. (Details will be introduced at the end of this paragraph)
Half an hour into the film, after several key calls (with Iben, the little girl, Michael), Asger senses something suspicious about the incident.
First, was Iben actually kidnapped? Is everything she said true?
Second, who killed Iben's youngest son?
Finally, is Michael the real murderer? Where has he gone?
In order to find out the ins and outs of the incident, Asger called Iben's cell phone again. In a series of dialogues, Iben's illogical dialogue aroused Asger's suspicion, and gradually the truth surfaced.
It turns out that Asger's judgment was wrong from the beginning. Although the case is as described by Iben, the real culprit is not his ex-husband Michael, but himself who suffers from mental illness. This reversal is beyond the imagination of most people and can be called a classic in the "textbook version".
As for the next episode (the ending), it's a bit cliché. Iben, who is sometimes sober and sometimes confused, understands what he has done, tries to die, and is finally rescued by the police, and the story ends.
The entire narrative process is less than 90 minutes, compact and not procrastinating. In the first half, everyone thought that Michael was going to kill Iben; in the second half, the suspense was repeated, the "good guy" became the sinner, the "bad guy" became the good guy, a wonderful reversal.
Finally, back to a question posed by the author earlier - why do those seemingly innocuous calls play a crucial role in the dramatic reversal of the ending?
a, These phone records all suggest Asger's character flaws (eg: being too egoistic)
b, these phone records show police bureaucracy
c, these phone records insinuate indifference between people
It is the chain reaction based on these problems that led to the misjudgment and delay of the entire case...
3. Thematic thinking - who is the sinner?
When I saw the title of this film, the author immediately thought of "Original Sin" in 2001 and the American drama "The Sinner" released last year. "Man" and "sin" are always disgusting and intertwined with each other, which is ridiculous and sad. Don't talk, let's continue to look at the plot characters.
Who are the "sinners" mentioned in this work? Asger? Iben? Michael? one by one
The protagonist Asger, a policeman (operator) with a strong sense of justice. Where are his sins/deficiencies?
a, overconfidence, leading to misjudgment
b, stubborn and conceited, completely ignorant of how to get along with colleagues
"Weak Woman" Iben, a mentally ill patient, has symptoms of a lack of discernment. Where is her guilt/blame?
a. Killing one's own child, although it is the result of mental illness, is still unacceptable and relieved
b. Under the circumstance of clear thinking, failing to tell the truth of the incident decisively, indirectly causing the police officer to make a wrong judgment
The misunderstood Michael, Iben's ex-husband, is deeply in love with his wife and children. Where are his sins/missteps?
a, the police should be notified as soon as the case occurs
b. Knowing that Iben has a mental illness, but failing to receive timely treatment and effective care
Look at these characters in the play, there is a "hidden" crime, and no one is spared. Just like people all over the world, they all walk in the snare of "sin", without exception.
Written at the end, as a small-budget film, this work brings a unique thriller performance to the audience with its unique sense of form and exquisite narrative structure, with style, taste and connotation.
end.
Screenwriter ★★★★☆ (The story is attractive, the characters are created, and the dialogue is polished.
Director★★★★★ (self-written and directed, playing new tricks at a small cost)
Actor ★★★★★ (Jakob Cedergren's acting skills are beyond doubt, his facial expressions and body language are amazing)
Plot★★★★☆
Visual effects ★★★★★ (the charm of light, the attention to composition, feel the tension of the plot in the dark)
Sound effects ★★★☆☆
Recommendation ★★★★★ (Possible to win the "Oscar Best Foreign Language Film")
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