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Schpaaa
(1998)   
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Director:
Erik Poppe |
COUNTRY
Norway |
GENRE
Drama/Action/Crime |
INTERNATIONAL
TITLE
Schpaa |
RUNNING
TIME
70
minutes |
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Producer:
Finn Gjerdrum |
Screenwriter:
Erik Poppe |
Review
It's
hard to believe the subtlety and insight of Hawaii,
Oslo when viewing Erik Poppe's six years senior
debut-film. Like its successor, Schpaa is a film from the streets
of Oslo, peaking into the lives of some not so fortunate kids. The
film's motivation is painfully obvious as Poppe badly wants to give a
truthful, objective rendition of small-time, juvenile delinquents in
Norway. He adds some creative touches to cutting and soundtrack, at
times giving the film an MTV-feel that seems only awkward here. It's as
if Poppe is saying "Hey, look how cool and up-to-date this film
is". My question is, why then do people still talk like in the
least convincing Wam & Vennerød-movies?
Schpaa
is cursed with lacklustre (at its best) acting, from completely
untrained performers, constantly delivering awful dialogue from Poppe's
artificial and forced script. The lack of realism completely kills off a
film whose effectiveness turns on exactly that. What's left is a bunch of
multi-ethnic puppets running around in the badly photographed streets of
Oslo doing stunts that are too obviously performed in front of a camera. Schpaa
can't even make a simple, cute teenage romance even mildly effective.
Kiyana Faravardeh and Maikel Andressen Abou-Zelof are arguably the least
convincing screen-couple ever. If you for some reason have slumped into
seeing this film, please sit through Hawaii,
Oslo to allow Erik Poppe the
chance to defend himself.
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