https://youtu.be/OcXRia04YnA No subtitles available.
One of the several series focusing on a group of Norwegian high school students, each series exploring aspects of characteristic teen development issues. A brief daily episode appeared daily online and at the end of the week was shown as one (less than 30 minute) episode.
The filming style is very much cinema verite/fly on the wall but it is done in a very sophisticated way that does not draw attention to itself (as such approaches can often do, with the results that the sense of the scenes being truly real is very strong and effective – and so more emotionally involving. But there are also a few clearly signaled and designed shots and scenes to remind us that we are actually watching fiction. One amusing little details is that the main female teacher is only shown from the neck down, wittily suggesting (hetero) adolescents obsession with the female form.
Their lifestyles seem to be pretty party-oriented with alcohol, rarely abused. Seen as just a natural part of life there and at that age – as opposed to the USA finger-wagging approach! The dialogue too is marvelously real and authentic-sounding for the teens and their lives. Likewise the way the character Magnus initially seen as a bit of an idiot, is shown to have somewhat more depth than was at first suggested. Good and engaging character development.
The bringing-in of mental health issues and a major character being bi-polar is very well and intelligently handled – and with an optimistic outcome implied by the end of the series. And Episode 9, one of the shortest was a beautifully judged little gem with the use of ‘Oh Holy Night’ a very moving and pitch-perfect musical and dramatic decision.