REPRISE’s sexy, playful, poignant tale of
two 20-something friends entering the adult world is a
coming of age story like no other. The freewheeling passion
of youth and the unpredictable perils of fate become both
the subject and the breathtaking form of director Joachim
Trier’s journey through friendship, love, madness and
creativity. Trier viscerally captures the way life takes off
at rocketspeed in the beginning of adulthood – and the
what-ifs and why-nots that both drive and haunt us as
the unbridled hopes of youth come to a screeching halt. The
story unfolds in Oslo and Paris, but with its provocative
mix of music, romance, career ambitions, boyish banter and
inner demons, could take
place among almost any group of young friends in any Western
city in the world.
The lean, kinetic tale kicks off just as Phillip (ANDERS
DANIELSON LIE) and Erik (ESPEN KLOUMAN-HOINER) stand at the
mailbox, two cocky, grinning rebels full of the verve and
dreams of 20 year-olds everywhere, their whole lives hanging
in the balance. Each is about to ship off his first novel to
publishers, each is hoping to become a wildly influential
“cult author,” each has visions of a new life of non-stop
intensity, brilliance, romance and nightclubbing.
Fast-forward six months. These reveries have crashed, hard,
into reality. Phillip, whose novel garnered instant acclaim
and turned him into a mini-celebrity, has had a terrifying
breakdown and is just about to be released from a
psychiatric hospital. Erik, who never sold his novel, is
still pecking away, determined to follow in the footsteps of
his undying hero, a reclusive but idolized writing genius,
no matter what it takes.
REPRISE explores not just what happens to Phillip and Erik
as they pick up the pieces but what might have happened to
them, what they imagine could happen, what they fear will
possibly happen and what they can’t see actually happening.
Nimbly moving both backwards and forwards in time – via a
dazzling mix of flashbacks, rapid-fire editing,
philosophical voiceovers and comical flights
of fancy -- the film traces how Erik and Phillip arrived at
this precipice where exuberant youth runs into the harsh
light of day . . . and witnesses the emotionally gripping
aftermath.
REPRISE marks the feature film debut of Joachim Trier, who
wrote the screenplay with Eskil Vogt. In its native Norway,
the film won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay
at the Amanda Awards (their Academy Award® equivalent). It
also went on to receive the Discover Award at the Toronto
Film Festival and Best Director at Karlovy Vary Film
Festival. REPRISE’s unusual cast includes Anders Danielsen
Lie, a doctor and musician, as the romantically enigmatic
Philip and advertising copywriter Espen Klouman Hoiner, as
the sly and charismatic Erik. Newcomer Viktoria Winge is
Kari, Phillip’s girlfriend and muse, with whom he tries,
over and over, to recreate the elusive source of his
inspiration. The film is produced by Karin Julsrud and
executive produced by Scott Rudin, Marius Holst, Alain Monne,
Håkon Øverås, Turid Øverseveen, Aagot Skjeldal, and Pål
Sletaune.
© Miramax Films. All
rights reserved
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