Reckless

Synopsis:

An uncompromising and controversial short set in Norwegian suburbia on the hottest day of the summer. A sister reluctantly babysits her little brother. Two young boys catch her attention, and she makes a crucial decision.

Quick Thoughts:

This Norwegian short doesn’t really make a point; it lacks a message. Of course, the synopsis doesn’t give away the full story: in that it ends with a tragic outcome. However “Reckless” stirred up controversy even before we were able to watch it and realize there’s not much of a story. The controversy is over the actual age of the actors when filming paired with the slight nudity and clear depictions of sex. Silje Hagrim Dahl, who plays Sofie, was 16 during filming while Thomas Stene-Johansen and Marcus Rix as Sondre and Marius respectively, were both 14 at the time. Different countries have different norms, but the situation makes this an awkward short film to watch. It also is only questionably queer, more a homoerotic film due to the nudity aspect. So best to just skip this short film.