Somewhere in the Faroe Islands, two brothers are trying to cope with the loss of their third brother. This may be, in short, the plot overview of ‘Brother Troll’, but deep inside the core of this, there is way more than the eyes can see.
The narrative of this short is like a drop of water under the microscope – once you get closer, you will see the depths and beauty of what cannot be seen at first glance. There is beauty in every detail, in every corner, and you need to look closely to take in the majestic exploration Gudmund Helmsdal was able to catch in his short film.
The cast is nothing but delightful! The two brothers are exceptionally well-designed characters, with flaws and strengths that can be seen from the first minute. Búi Dam and Nicolaj Falck have that kind of chemistry many only dream of. Being a dark comedy, they need to act accordingly, balancing the fun factor and the drama to a point where they mix perfectly. The construction of the narrative is impeccable, pointing out from the beginning the role of each of the characters, and announcing from the religious quotes an ending with a twist.
Apart from the aforementioned greats, this short film has an incredible scenery that enhances the overall feel of this film. For example, just by being alone on an island, seeing that there is no one around, we get the much more substantial feeling of brotherhood, as the two brothers only have each other. They need one another to survive, but each of them sees this relationship differently to a point. For example, the scene where one of the brothers tries to repair the wheelbarrow whilst the other goes to get water explains the dynamics between the two, as one is a “troll”, and the other is the serious one. This is, once again, a sign of the perfect balance that we’ve mentioned before, the type of balance that sustains the constant ‘what if’ sensation of this film.
It’s hard to put in words why ‘Brother Troll’ is a great film. Better watch it and convince yourself that everything we stated here is not just fake kind words.
Written by Vlad A.G