Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugerud he won my sympathy with the film “Dreams of Love” (in cinemas from November 21), which won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale this year. This is one part of a trilogy devoted to modern love. Haugerud focuses on youthful infatuation – intense, full of passion, but also pain. Then I got “Sex” (available on HBO Max). This time, the Norwegian creator took on the feelings of heterosexual, mature men who begin to question their own orientation and identity. I appreciate both films for their insightful and empathetic look at contemporary relationships, although for me they lacked the appropriate emotional emphasis. It’s time for “Love”. The films can be watched in any order, as they do not have a common plot. “Love” turned out to be the perfect ending to the trilogy, filling the emotional gaps left by the earlier parts.
“Love” is, in my opinion, a complete look at contemporary relationships. They are presented in full size, with all the lights and shadows. Haugerud again talks about feelings with a huge dose of empathy and understanding, with soothing calm, without judgment and extreme emotions. He proves that he perfectly understands the subtleties of human experiences.
The action takes place in Oslo – a city important to the context of the characters’ story. This is not a romantic setting, but raw ordinariness. The everyday life of Oslo emphasizes the realism of the film and its down-to-earth, human scale of feelings. It is also a symbol of modernity. A sign that nowadays people pair up differently, and love must fight for survival in a world of rational decisions and emotional compromises.
We follow the footsteps of a lonely doctor, Marianne (Andrea Bræin Hovig). Her pragmatic approach to life contrasts with the sensitivity of nurse Tor (Tayo Cittadella Jacobsen), with whom she works every day. It is he who opens up a completely new perspective on relationships for Marianne. One evening they meet on the ferry. Tor, who often spends nights there looking for casual encounters with men, shares his experiences of relationships based on spontaneous intimacy.
In recent years, many European artists have been taking up the topic of contemporary relationships in a fresh and non-obvious way. In the Lithuanian film “Slowly”, we observe a relationship with an asexual person on screen, while in the Norwegian “The Worst Man in the World” we follow the fate of a heroine who gives herself the right to be indecisive in matters of love. Something extremely close to us, but usually hidden deep inside. In “Love”, Haugerud also departs from the traditional image of a heterosexual relationship, looking at the complexity of homosexual relationships and the increasingly frequent choices based on spontaneous intimacy with strangers.
Dag Johan Haugerud’s cinema is distinguished by its calm rhythm and attention to the details of everyday life. Conversations between the characters remain a key element of each film in the trilogy. Although it might seem that a two-hour film filled to the brim with dialogues could easily make the viewer feel bored, Haugerud proves that this does not have to be the case. It is in conversations that true closeness takes place – in pauses, understatements, small gestures. The director builds intimacy between the characters just as it is built in real life: through deep and honest conversations. He often points the camera at characters’ faces, highlighting the slightest change in a smile or look.
“Love” is the most intimate and intimate, and at the same time the most emotionally rich film in Haugerud’s trilogy. “Dreams of Love” and “Sex” touched my sensibility, while “Love” stays with me long after the viewing.
8/10
“Love”, dir. Dag Johan Haugerud, Norway. Release date in Poland: November 7, 2025.
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