Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

A member of the relatively uncommon subcategory of films that have both an evil protagonist and powerful theistic themes, DeUsynlige, the fourth film from Norwegian director Eric Poppe, is both an engaging redemption tale and a soul-shaking study in faith. The characters are simultaneously good and evil which casts them in a refreshing and extremely human light. They do things like clean coffee off their sweaters and panic when they realize their number comes up. The nigh flawless acting allows for an immense amount of focus to be paid to what is actually happening in the minds of the characters. Viewers are gifted with the increasingly rare experience of glimpsing the raw and pulsating core of the human condition in a manner that is uncommon if not unique.Having seen Hawaii, Oslo, another film directed by Eric Poppe, the two-sided chronologically- simultaneous plot of the film fell right in line with what I have come to expect from Poppe. That said, to say that the split narrative format of the film contributes powerfully to the plot is a dramatic understatement. The split narrative develops first the character of Thomas right up to the re-collision of the two plot lines: the moment when he experiences the bewilderment and sadness in exactly the same fashion as Agnes. The following cut to the scene where Agnes discovers that her child is missing is the single most important component that makes this styling work. It draws the two of them together and unifies them as human beings with flaws and emotions and really frames the emotional distress experienced to the point where you can feel it weighing in your gut. Viewers are reminded that the character they have empathized with though the entire first half of the film has still done some terrible things. It brings the whole work back to reality and glues together the, otherwise quite tricky, split narrative brilliantly.Faith is perhaps the strongest theme throughout the course of the first half of the film. Thomas' views on religion are bleak and lonely. He sees no value in repentance, prayer, or communion; an odd stance for a man who works in a church. As he slowly begins to heal from his past and recover his normalcy his faith undergoes a parallel transformation. His friendship with Anna serves as a tether while he wades through his mixed feelings of guilt and abandon. With her help he comes to terms with what his past entails and begins to find inner solace. He even begins to partake in communion. His growth in faith opens the world to him. He is no longer constrained by his burden of guilt. He becomes purified and baptised in his growing love of Jens and Anna. The priest tells Thomas to "play them some good church music" and Thomas responds by playing "Bridge Over Troubled Water". In an almost fortuitous choice Thomas acknowledges that life is a struggle and suggests that maybe faith has something to do with a bridge to guard them to safety. The first half of the film is Thomas taking baby steps towards that bridge. His efforts to make a normal life despite his crimes are commendable to say the least. He does not seek forgiveness; only re-acceptance. Consequently, baptism is another powerful theme in the film. Baptism is a rite of admission through which an individual is inducted into the whole. With that in mind when Thomas gives up his christened name of "Jan" he is also accepting his separation from society. In the act of wading into the river to save the life of Jens, Thomas is baptised again and reunited as a unified person. His sins are divinely washed away in the current; as Anna said so confidently prior in the film "God forgives all". However the same does not hold true for humans. A Thomas that is washed clean of sin emerges from the river and submits himself for crucifixion. With his admission to Agnes Thomas resurrects the world against him. Anna, the one who whole heartedly preached the plan of God and forgiveness, casts him out and with a pained submissive understanding Thomas accepts the pain of parting with those he cares deeply about.A split-narrative style film so masterfully sewn together by strong religious themes and images fused with expert camera-work put DeUsynlige on a level that is something more than just a powerful redemption tale. Poppe has created something that does far more than tell a story. The film creates an immense sadness and relief that is almost palpable, and for that I give it top marks.

Is it always possible to forgive someone, no matter how heinous the crime? Is it always possible to forgive ourselves and put at ease a conscience that wrestles with itself day and night? Jan Thomas Hansen, the protagonist of the film 'Trouble Water', leads us on a journey that meditates on forgiveness and atonement in light of tragedy and heartbreak. The role of love, guilt, music and faith in the human condition and transformation of the individual is explored from both the perspective two characters. Hansen is looking to establish his life outside of prison, where he was recently released for the kidnapping and murder of a small child. Despite his efforts to hide his dark past, Hansen is followed by Agnes, the victim's mother, after she discovers he is now an organist at a church. The new beginning that Hansen seeks is a huge theme throughout the film. He befriends Anna, the priest of the church and her young son Jens. Throughout the first half of the film, we follow Thomas and witness his constant flashbacks to the incident for which he was imprisoned. The second half of the film switches our focus, as we begin following Agnes, who had been an invisible presence in Thomas' narrative. 'Troubled Water', directed by Erik Poppe, presents a gripping narrative that essentially boils down to one concept - forgiveness. Life is painful, our conscience will always haunt us, we will be overcome by doubt, but redemption is possible.The technique of depicting the same narrative from the perspective of two characters is the driving force behind the film's success. The more the plot unravels, the more difficult it becomes for the viewer to side with one of the characters. In many films, it is all to easy to only consider the perspective of the character the camera follows. By depicting the story from the sides of two characters, Poppe removes this simplicity for the audience. We are given the opportunity to empathize with two extremely different people who have both had their lives torn apart by the child's death. Poppe's characterization of Hansen allows to support his attempt to start a new life and find meaning in his affair with Anna. Yet when the focus shifts, we witness the devastation of Agnes, who has been unable to stop grieving over the loss of her son. The split narrative forms a rich coalescence of tension, pain, grief and hope.Poppe's use of music throughout the film is incredibly powerful. Thomas uses the organ to express his deepest thoughts and emotions, while utilizing it as a means to search for atonement. The tragic beauty of the music he is producing is reflected in the close-up camera shots of his face while playing. His face reflects his deep vulnerability and sadness. The most poignant moment of the film is when Hansen plays "Bridge Over Troubled Water", a song about forgiveness, for children visiting the church. The moment becomes even more powerful when we realize that Agnes is also a part of Hansen's audience. It reflects his deep longing for forgiveness and for a new beginning in his life.The recurring motif of water as a symbol for new beginnings is powerful. This is emphasized by the title of the film, 'Trouble Water', which is emphasizes literally throughout the film, as many scenes involve water. The young boy is killed in water, Hansen is attacked in jail using water, Agnes regularly swims to escape her constant grief and baptismal water is frequently mentioned. Just as water is responsible for the death of Agnes' son in the beginning, it is the scene of his rebirth in the conclusion when he saves Jens and confesses his guilt to Agnes. Water becomes a marker of life and death. 'Troubled Water' is a wonderful examination of the complexities of the human condition. It explores the need for forgiveness in a way that I had never witness before. I enjoyed the film thoroughly. The split narrative heightened my enjoyment of the film, although I felt a little let down when the story reset to the beginning just as it reached the climax in the middle of the film. The performances of the lead actors was strong and drove the film forward through the quieter moments. I found myself sympathizing with both characters throughout the film, regularly switching my allegiance as more information was revealed. The music was incredible and it was utilized brilliantly to convey the emotions of Hansen. Ultimately, the film conveys a deeply profound message of hope and renewal.I would definitely recommend this film. It is full of emotion and the director does a magnificent job of piecing together the different puzzle pieces of the narrative. Poppe proves himself again to be a wonderful director, and the characterization and camera work continually engage the viewer throughout the film. 'Trouble Water' holds many surprises and is most certainly worth viewing.

While watching the movie, I felt that this is an exceptional movie and wondered why this movie does not figure along with the greats. Reminded me of 'Blue' for some reason.Acting is superb and wonderfully subdued acting from the accused protagonist to contrast with the expressive hysterical acting from the mother.The presentation is so very realistic and the plot is so original - never seen a story like this before.Technique of story telling took an interesting turn when the movie started presenting the same timeline in the life of the parents intersecting naturally and unobtrusively with the thread of the accused's life.Certain pieces of organ music in the movie are very striking.There are a few intimate scenes that have been very aesthetically presented. There is no background music whatsoever in the movie and it feels excellently real.Towards the end of the movie, certain aspects did not fit perfectly. The maker wanted to make the central thread take one decisive knot but unfortunately the build up was slightly unnatural.So many unusual things happen in the movie but a very high percentage of these are explainable by the emotional plight of the protagonists.Otherwise, it is a perfect screenplay.There is mastery in all the little little details.Very aesthetic.

Troubled Water starts out with Jan, a convicted murderer, being released from prison. He gets a job as the Organ player at a local church. The story continues as he creates a relationship with Anna, the priest. Jan also builds a relationship with her son, Jens. Meanwhile, Agnes, the mother of the boy who Jan killed, tracks him down and struggles with the past. We first see Jan's journey from the time of his release and hiring to when Jens goes missing outside of his preschool under Jan's supervision. Next the film moves to the journey of Agnes. Her life is shown in a series of flashbacks throughout her everyday life with her family and two adopted daughters. She stalks Jan periodically and finds out information about his life after prison and discovers that Jan is with Anna and her little boy Jens. The stories converge at the kidnapping of Jen's from Jan by Agnes. Jan finds her and admits to killing her son Isak while Jen's is in the car. Jens runs down the same riverbank where Jan killed Isak year's prior and wades into the river. Jan saves him from drowning and Agnes helps them both ashore. Jen's is returned to his mother. This is the first time Anna knows that Jen's was a murderer and their story is cut off halfway through a painfully conflicted conversation. Agnes goes home and reunites with her family. This is her turning point. She is able to let go of Isak and move forward fully embracing the present with her husband and two daughters.The close-up blurry shots hint at a sense of confusion. Jan is tapping into his grey area. He has been lying to himself for so many years that he started to actually believe that he didn't kill Isak. The blurry close-ups are like looking into his mind. When people think about untrue events obsessively and for long enough, they learn to permanently deny the truth, which they are trying to hide. They just bury it until even they believe the lie. This happens to Jan after he kills Isak. He starts denying it the moment he commits the crime. After that he denies responsibility in trial and is left to meditate on it in prison for years. No wonder he believes it himself. Once he is released from prison, however, he is reminded of what really happened and starts having flashbacks due to seeing Jen's and the café etc. These tangible sights and things were not there in prison. The confines allowed him to focus on denying the truth. Out in the real world, he is confronted again and again with reminders and identity crises. Agnes helps Jan realize the truth and Jan helps Agnes move on.Jon really doesn't talk much throughout the movie. Maybe words cannot express the regret and guilt that he feels about killing Isak. His music, while in prison, seems incredibly simple and dry. Once he is released and gets the opportunity to play in a real church on a magnificent organ, he is able to tap into his talent once again. The music is his way of repenting, and confessing. It is his way of expressing all of those unspeakable emotions. The beauty in his music, however, isn't achieved in a solemn tone or minor key. It is in the build, the crescendo, and/or climax of the music where hope is illustrated that inspires the beauty. During such a hard journey, Jan expresses his hope through his music.The end of this film is very depressing and not entirely closing. I don't like how things are left between Anna and Jan. Although Anna doesn't seems to look like she will forgive Jan, you never know. Her role as a priest puts her in an interesting position. There are two sides to her: mother and priest. At the end she has to pick because she is so conflicted. Although it appears to viewers that she picks motherly instincts over priestly views, one can never be sure. This just seems like such a bummer for Jan. He finally gains some closure with Agnes after she steals Anna's son Jen's and Jon saves him from her and from drowning. I guess he can't have everything though. It would probably be too much to hope that he, Anna, and Jens live happily ever after as one big happy family. The viewer is left with Anna's signs of pain and conflict and Jon's yearning to be forgiven, but no one actually knows how they end up. This film is filled with beautiful conflict.