Factotum (2006) - Bent Hamer

An anomolly of an American film, and a very decidedly low key picture especially dealing with alcoholism. This film seemed perfectly attuned for a New Year's Eve viewing before getting annihliated beyond all recognition. Many scenes unfold in one continuous shot, with sparse camera movement. Matt Dillon is given free reign as the focal point of the entire film, being part of nearly every scene, and present in the overwhelming majority of shots. He plays a remoursless alcohlic who doesn't seem to have a false air about him. His substance is alcohol and this is what he works for, content to live in squalor as long as there's enough money for some whiskey. True to most movie alcohlics though his drinks are straight, as opposed to the overwhelming amount of mixed drinks that most people ingest. Everything is played down to a minimalist effect. Losing a job, losing a home, breaking up, all of this is handled as casually as one might eat Corn Flakes over Cheerios. Dillon is great throughout and never breaks character, and for Hamer, this is a damn fine American debut which makes me want to hunt out his Norwegian films.