22 July Review: 5 Ups & 4 Downs

Ups...

5. The Outstanding Performances

Uneven though the film is, the performances are absolutely terrific across the board, none better than Anders Danielsen Lie, who while not really resembling Breivik at all, gives a bone-rattlingly chilling rendition of a man utterly lacking in remorse for his actions.

There are arguments to be made that the film perhaps focuses a little too squarely on him over the victims, but to his credit Greengrass rejects lazy psychoanalytical readings of Breivik's psyche in favour of the more horrifying conclusion that he probably knew exactly what he was doing.

On the other side, Jonas Strand Gravli gives a remarkable performance in his feature film debut as Viljar Hanssen, a survivor of the attack who endures a long road to recovery both physically and emotionally. Even during the movie's more rote and plodding moments, he makes you feel the anguish and could have a bright future ahead of him.

Also worth singling out is Jon Øigarden, who plays Breivik's reluctant lawyer Geir Lippestad. Øigarden nails the man's personal torment over defending a monstrous individual in the stead of upholding the rule of law.

And now consider how these performances would be even better if they were spoken in a Norwegian tongue.