A bald, gangly youth of 17 living with his slightly batty grandmother in a remote, tiny Icelandic settlement, Noi (Tómas Lemarquis) is the bane of his teachers, who not only fail to recognize his intellectual potential but also expel him--much to the chagrin of his alcoholic father, a failed musician anxious that the boy, who spends much of his time reading in a makeshift cellar hideaway and dreaming of tropical climes, shouldn't make the same mistakes that he did. Combining gentle comedy, occasional drama, and ultimately tragedy, Dagur Kári's Noi is a time-honored tale of a young man's longing to escape his stifling environment--a point made most clearly in Noi's inept attempt at robbery to secure enough money to flee--but one told with uncommon ambiance and enough quirky twists to make it intriguing and appealing. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a 19-minute subtitled “making-of” featurette, three deleted scenes with intros by director Dagur Kari (15 min.), trailers, and weblinks. Bottom line: a small but solid extras package for an engaging foreign film.] (F. Swietek)
Noi
Palm, 93 min., in Icelandic w/English subtitles, PG-13, VHS or DVD: $24.99, Oct. 12 Volume 19, Issue 6
Noi
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