If You Loved 'Sentimental Value', Watch This Tense Thriller Drama Starring Renate Reinsve
It is a gripping drama that will keep you glued to the screen.
The disturbing psychological drama Armand is the feature-length debut of director Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel – the grandson of Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann.
The movie is definitely worth watching, if only for Renate Reinsve's performance.
What Is 'Armand' About?
The famous actress Elizabeth was summoned to the school. She doesn't know exactly what her six-year-old son, Armand, did. The teacher assures her that she will tell her everything once the parents of the boy Armand offended, Jon, arrive.
It turns out that Armand beat up a classmate and made inappropriate threats. Where such thoughts came from in the mind of a six-year-old is a big question.
Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel Masterfully Builds Tension and Maintains It Throughout the Entire Movie
The first half of Armand steadily builds tension. The school's broken fire alarm sounds at the most inopportune moments, the vice principal repeatedly gets nosebleeds, the camera zooms in on the characters and circles them during conversations.
As the minutes pass, deciphering what really happened between the two boys becomes increasingly difficult – either Armand is truly prone to violence, or Sarah helped her son concoct a story to spite Elizabeth.
Jon's mother constantly reminds us of her adversary's profession – you can't trust a word the actress says, perhaps she's just playing another role.
Armand begins like Roman Polanski's Carnage, only here the teachers join the parents' squabbles and find themselves helpless. The teacher is afraid of taking responsibility and she is unable to confidently describe the events and constantly wavers between the parents.
There is no talk of justice or a fair trial – all that remains is speculation, gossip, and mounting tension.
'Armand' Is a True Feast for Fans of Renate Reinsve's Talent
Armand is a true triumph for Renate Reinsve. She plays Elizabeth, a character on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The actress laughs for several minutes without reason, but her laughter gradually turns to tears.
When words fail to express the character's state, the director uses dance. Elizabeth steps into the hallway, nearly collapses, then stands up straight – as if she were pulling herself up by her long ponytail.
In the second half, the movie is filled with increasingly abstract and surreal scenes that distract us from the two boys' quarrel but present Armand's mother in all her emotional complexity.
Armand is worth watching, if only for Renate Reinsve's outstanding performance and the tension that the director maintains throughout the film.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Armand'?
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Armand has 73% from critics and 71% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.1/10.
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On Letterboxd, Armand scored 3.2/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Armand'?
Armand is available to stream on Hulu and AMC+.
