The Art of Negative Thinking

Director: Bård Breien

Review By Max Burke

The Art of Negative Thinking is a film about a group of severely physically disabled people and their mentor who promotes positive thinking to overcome their daily depression. When the group attempts to welcome in to their fold Geirr, a wheelchair-bound, alcoholic, pot-smoking, disheveled man who wastes away his days ignoring his beautiful and loving girlfriend, watching violent films and listening to depressing Johnny Cash tunes, the results are physical altercations, adultery, and attempted suicide. Did I mention The Art of Negative Thinking is a comedy?

Norwegian director Bård Breien's debut future is a meditation on the dark recesses of human psychology that might be said to typify Scandinavian international art film if it weren't so damn hilarious. The film takes place over the course of one very long Norwegian night and day – clearly an independent project with limited production values and locations. However, the movie is a triumph of limited resources, relying on absolutely stellar performances from the ensemble cast and the raw and believable human emotions that emerge when ordinary people are confronted with an extraordinarily depressing reality.

Director Bård Breien was unable to attend the screening as he was busy shooting his next feature, and fans of excruciatingly perceptive dialog and brilliantly low-key performances should be thrilled. The film is a brisk 80 minutes, but doesn't feel cut short. In fact, the abrupt ending is the only thing to complain about after spending quality time with such deeply, stupendously flawed characters. The Art of Negative Thinking was probably the single most entertaining film I had the pleasure of seeing at this year's SFIFF.