Troubled Water
A paroled former child killer and the bereaved mother of his victim are forced into an agonizing encounter with guilt, grief, and the possibility of release.
Overview
A man seeks redemption and connection in a small community after a dark past.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- somber
- intimate
- melancholic
- quiet evening
- reflective viewing
What critics said
The film was strongly received by audiences and recognized for its emotionally powerful Norwegian drama, though broader critical consensus is limited in the supplied data.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jan Thomas’s release and renewed contact with Agnes force both characters to confront responsibility, grief, and forgiveness.
The film treats the aftermath of a child’s death and the characters’ damaged lives with quiet, psychologically contained intensity.
Jan Thomas’s post-prison life and Agnes’s renewed memories converge around their conflicting relationships to the child’s death.
Jan Thomas’s work as a church organist and relationship with a priest place his attempted reintegration within a church environment.
Films like Troubled Water, and why
The Sweet Hereafter
shared themes of guilt, grief, forgiveness, and emotionally restrained moral drama
Mystery of the Wax Museum
shared focus on trauma, culpability, and difficult paths toward reconciliation
Three Colors: Blue
shared intimate treatment of bereavement, parental pain, and the possibility of emotional release
The Broken Circle Breakdown
shared European psychological drama atmosphere and unresolved moral consequences
Movie Details
- Director
- Erik Poppe
- Release Date
- 2008-09-26
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (80)
Cast
- Pål Sverre Hagen
- Trine Dyrholm
- Ellen Dorrit Petersen
- Fredrik Grøndahl
- Trond Espen Seim
- Angelou Garcia
- Henriette Garcia
- Terje Strømdahl
- Anneke von der Lippe
- Frank Kjosås
Common questions
- What is Troubled Water about?
- A paroled former child killer and the bereaved mother of his victim are forced into an agonizing encounter with guilt, grief, and the possibility of release.
- What is Troubled Water like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Troubled Water as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Troubled Water violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Troubled Water as mild.
- What did critics think of Troubled Water?
- The film was strongly received by audiences and recognized for its emotionally powerful Norwegian drama, though broader critical consensus is limited in the supplied data.
- Which films are like Troubled Water?
- Films with a similar feel include The Sweet Hereafter, Mystery of the Wax Museum, Three Colors: Blue, and The Broken Circle Breakdown.
- How long is Troubled Water?
- Troubled Water runs 115 minutes.
