374. The Painter And The Thief; movie review
THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF
Cert 15
109 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, domestic abuse
Hands up if you think people have become less forgiving of each other over the past ten or 20 years.
It strikes me that we live in a society which is more and more boastful and angry.
Thankfully, there are exceptions to the rule and one appears in the form of artist Barbora Kysilková - a Czech painter who lives with her partner in Norway.
She was moved to meet Karl-Bartil Norland - the thief who stole two of her most important works and make friends of him.
Yes, this wasn't a simple case of restorative justice - Kysilková wanted to paint the drug addict and see if she could find a way to help him.
She got him to sit for her and later admitted to her boyfriend, author Øystein Stene. that she fell a bit "in love" with him.
Benjamin Ree's camera follows the strange relationship over three years during which Norland has several crises and nearly dies.
And yet Kysilková perseveres with him just as many others are giving up. Her reward is a rather uplifting finale.
The Painter And The Thief does leave unanswered questions and one of them certainly frustrates Kysilková.
But it widens the understanding of crime associated with addiction and the very liberal way in which Norway handles it.
Kysilková is clearly a remarkable young woman. Her paintings are mind-blowingly good yet she remains a relatively undiscovered talent.
Perhaps this film will be the springboard for her success. She certainly deserves it.
Reasons to watch: A compelling a curious relationship
Reasons to avoid: Unanswered questions
Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7.5/10
The final word. Benjamin Ree: "The film shows that in Norwegian society we use a lot of government money to rehabilitate people like Karl Bertil. But look at Bertil today. The government has invested in his life to get him back on his feet and now he’s ready to give back. He’s been sober for over a year now and he has finished his second year studying sports medicine. I think that the costs to rehabilitate someone like Karl Bertil are totally worth it when he can get back on his feet, earn his own money, and give back to society.
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