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February 26, 2012 By iluvcinema 3 Comments

A Look at “Turn Me On Dammit” (Norway, 2011)

One of the problems with expectations is that they rarely live up to them. At least that was the thought swimming in my head during the preview screening of the Jannicke Systad Jacobsen’s Få meg på, for faen (Turn Me on Dammit). Jacobsen also wrote the screenplay based on the novel by Olaug Nilssen. For her efforts, she was awarded the Best Screenplay prize at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. So, as you can imagine, I was expecting quite a lot.

The story is a centered on Alma, a frustrated 16 year old growing up in a sleepy Norwegian town, who, along with her best friend longs for a life outside of this town.  Piled on top of her wanderlust is a burgeoning sexuality, as exhibited by her mother’s shock and disgust at her bloated home phone bill, the result of Alma’s use of a phone sex line. She also breaks from the monotony of her day-to-day life by escaping into wild flights of fantasy.

Alma and Artur. Credit: Marianne Bakke/Motlys

Her life takes a slightly odd turn, when while at a youth party, the young man she has a crush on, Artur, initiates an odd, sexually suggestive act towards her. News of the encounter spreads like wildfire and she also immediately finds herself a social pariah, shunned and outcast since Artur will not admit to his part in the incident. For the remainder of the narrative, Alma tries in earnest to vindicate herself among her peers all while she gets closer to coming to terms with this complex and confusing time of her life.

In the central role of Alma, Helene Bergsholm ably handles the task of carrying us through her travails while simultaneously evoking a youthful angst that endears the audience.  This is only the more impressive considering Turn Me On Dammit is her (as well as several of her cast mates) first screen role.

Among the notable supporting players is Malin Bjørhovde, who plays Saralou, Alma’s best friend, whose scheme for escaping their hometown involves moving to Texas and campaigning against capital punishment.

Director - Jannicke Systad Jacobsen

Of course, none of this would have been accomplished if not for the direction and writing of Jacobsen. Particularly in the scenes with Alma where we drift into her colorful imagination, I felt as if I had been lulled there – the old bait and switch. This device was obviously by design. Jacobsen also deserves credit for handling a very young and inexperienced cast to positive result.

All the positivity aside, while I found myself chuckling a few times, the screening I attended did not have the level of boisterous laughter one would assume that would come from a film positing itself as a comedy, and a sex comedy at that. In other words, the offbeat humor of the piece may not be to everyone’s taste.

When I think of Turn Me On Dammit, I am reminded of another film that handles female teenage sexuality, Little Darlings. In dredging up this 1980s coming of age tale (a classic of sorts in my mind), I argue that stories dealing with young women’s sexuality in such a frank and ‘in-your-face’ manner are few and far between.

I caught this film at a recent screening at the newly renovated Pelham Picture House, which will be profiled on i luv cinema in the coming days. During this sneak peek, the Director of Programming introduced the film to the audience and we were also greeted with a video greeting from the film’s director.

Turn Me On Dammit opens ­­to wider release later in March.


Turn Me On Dammit, 2011. Directed by Jannicke Systad Jacobsen (Få meg på, for faen); In Norwegian with English subtitles.

UPDATE (2/28/2012) We have a special offer courtesy of Constellation.tv. Constellation.tv, a virtual movie theater platform, will be holding four online advanced movie screenings on March 1, March 8, March 15, and March 22, at 8:00 PM EST.

Click here to sign up for a virtual screening: http://www.constellation.tv/film. When you purchase your online ticket, be sure to use the following code ILF2012 to receive 20% off the value of the online ticket.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: foreign film, Jannicke Systad Jacobsen, norway, turn me on dammit

September 28, 2010 By iluvcinema Leave a Comment

Keep the Recs Coming!

For the past month, I have been working feverishly at my 9 to 5 but am able to have a “movie break” from time to time. As per the multiple suggestions offered by readers in my post from last month, I have amassed a collection of three titles from my local library which I plan to watch and post my reactions to this weekend. The suggestions provided by the audience have just at their mention broadened my cinematic horizons (I would have never thought previously of watching a Danish or Serbian film – was not even sure that there was a Serbian film industry).

But I am having so much fun with this exercise, that I want my readers to keep the hits coming. I am open to any and all suggestions!

Filed Under: Fun Stuff, Readers' Recs Tagged With: foreign film, international, movie recommendations, readers, readers suggestions, world cinema

October 20, 2009 By idawson 1 Comment

8 Femmes (8 Women); France 2002 (Dir. F. Ozon)

Enjoy the long trailer below:

[Advisory: Near the end there is a subtitled bit of “strong” language].

8 Femmes was on Starz Comedy last night. I first saw this film several years ago. Although not a major purveyor of French cinema, I have been known to dabble a little in it. I approached this film with some curiosity as it is a musically-inclined film with a murder mystery at the center of it. The major selling from what I can only amateurly gather is that the “huit femmes” in the film are all very famous French actresses. I would say my knowledge of the majority of them is pretty okay (Ledoyen, Deneuve, Huppert, Darrieux, Sangier, Beart) if not limited to a handful of both French and English language films, but as a film fan I would not say my knowledge is neither extensive nor encyclopedic.

In a modern sensibility, this film can be seen equivalent to the soon to be released Nine, which features a dizzying amount of A-list talent.

Back to 8 Femmes – it did not disappoint. It was a fun musical comedy that was dramatic when it needed to be. I recommend anyone who likes musicals, and murder mysteries in the style of Clue take a gander at this film. It has an interesting (in a pleasing way) ending that is sure not to disappoint.

One year later, Ozon directed another French film that I liked that also was a  mystery at the heart of it, Swimming Pool. This film also feature Ms. Sangier in a lead role.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: 2002, 8 femmes, ardant, beart, deneuve, eight women, foreign film, france, francois ozon, french film, huppert, international film, ledoyen, murder mystery, musical, sangier, subtitles

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