The First "Louder Than Bombs" Footage Promises Intense Drama

Scene from Louder than Bombs

A little while ago, I mentioned quite a few films that premiered at Cannes that I was going to keep an eye out for. While we have seen a few already garner some buzz, there have been few to have trailers and much public attention. Today marks quite a special day for those, like myself, who have been looking forward to the latest from director Joachim Trier called Louder Than Bombs, which stars Jesse Eisenberg in the director's English debut. Today marks the release of a trailer and a few clips, which would suggest that we are still in great hands.

There's something compelling about Trier to me. While I have only seen Oslo, August 31st, it left quite an impression on me. It was quiet, somber, and ended in an impressively bleak fashion that made me admire its simplicity. Ever since, I have been curious to see what he would do next. Choosing to tackle the English language feels like an ambitious and interesting next step in his career and with fairly solid reception out of Cannes makes me hopeful that he has another hit on his hands (or at least qualitatively). 

Check out the trailer below:

Looks pretty good. It's quiet, somber, and gives an unnerving hint of something deeper to come. Here's the plot description according to IMDb:

The fractious family of a father and his two sons confront their different feelings and memories of their deceased wife and mother, a famed war photographer.

For Eisenberg fans, this may ring a little like The Squid and the Whale. I am unsure if it will be quite as impacting on society as that film was, but it definitely offers hope of something powerful. Considering that the actor has done some great work in the past few years, even just last year with The Double and Night Moves, I am curious from that standpoint. Even more, I just want to see if Trier is able to channel his nuance and realism into a more Americanized setting. 

Along with the trailer above, there were several clips released. Check them out below:

There you have it. Soak in the clips and prepare for whatever is to come next. For me, this reassures my interest in the film and I only hope for the best. Maybe this won't be nearly as bleak as a junkie being exiled in a sober life as Oslo, August 31st did, but maybe there will be something just as visceral and human in it that makes me care. With good reviews to spare, I can only hope that we're looking at one of the best foreign films of the year.