Sønner (Sons) (2006)

• 67% of users liked it
  (277 ratings)

Norwegian writer-director Erik Richter Strand's debut feature, the domestic thriller Sønner (AKA Sons) follows Lars (Nils Jorgen Kaalstad), a 25-year-old man with a short fuse, who works as a lifeguard at the nearby public baths. He becomes acquainted with a local teenager, Tim (Mikkel Bratt… More Norwegian writer-director Erik Richter Strand's debut feature, the domestic thriller Sønner (AKA Sons) follows Lars (Nils Jorgen Kaalstad), a 25-year-old man with a short fuse, who works as a lifeguard at the nearby public baths. He becomes acquainted with a local teenager, Tim (Mikkel Bratt Silset) whom he catches spying on the girls in the facility's shower, then later observes Tim and several other young boys interacting with Hans (Henrik Mestad), a gentleman recently accused of pedophilic behavior. Suspicious, Lars quietly trails Hans and Tim back to Hans's car, where he videotapes Tim sexually pleasuring Hans in the front seat. Hans catches Lars at the last minute and unsuccessfully attempts to run him down; some time later, Tim turns up and begs Lars for the videocassette, which an infuriated Lars refuses to hand over. Privately, Lars vows to bring Hans toppling down at any costs - a lingering obsession that costs him his job at the baths. He begins spending all of his waking hours stalking Hans, and then - eventually - confronts the pervert at his house and discovers a computer overloaded with explicit pictures of Hans having sex with young boys - including a local TV personality. Now boiling over with rage, Lars finds the TV host and insists that he air the video tape with Tim's face blacked out. The plan succeeds, but ultimately puts at risk - and humiliates - the underage victims whom Lars sought to protect. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi