This Norwegian award-season juggernaut builds a universe within a family, their ancestors, and the good bones of an old house. Stellan Skarsgård plays the prodigal patriarch, a sensitive and selfish filmmaker returning to Norway to reconnect with his daughters after their mother’s death. And make a movie with an American movie star.

Trier shape-shifts tones, languages, and characters, crafting a layered viewing experience. Meta-awareness pervades the film, with commentary on modern cinema, the rise of fascism, and the liminality of art, life, and love. Not vignettes, not linear either – funny moments coexist with tension, sadness, and sweetness.

Rent it.

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