{
  "id": 11631095,
  "title": "'Fjord' review: I wanted to love this Cannes winner —until I realized who the movie is really rooting for",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/fjord-review-i-wanted-to-love-this-cannes-winner-until-i-realized-who",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T07:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tom's Guide",
    "slug": "tom-s-guide",
    "url": "https://www.tomsguide.com/entertainment/movies/fjord-review-i-wanted-to-love-this-cannes-winner-until-i-realized-who-the-movie-is-really-rooting-for"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The film \"Fjord,\" directed by Cristian Mungiu and starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, was one of the most anticipated titles at the Toronto International Film Festival following its Palme d’Or win at Cannes. Despite having two outstanding performances, critics like Tom's Guide have given the movie a low rating of 2/5 stars. The film, which is set to open in limited release in the U.S. on October 9, aims to explore the tension between religious and secular perspectives but ultimately fails to do so effectively.\n\nWhen the Gheorghiu family moves from Romania to Norway, they face an immediate clash between their strict religious beliefs and the more secular lifestyle of their new community. While Lisbet (Reinsve) is a native Norwegian, her family's rigid practices make them stand out in their seaside town. The film delves into a tense situation when school officials suspect the family of child abuse. Authorities take the five children into protective custody, creating a culture clash where the parents feel helpless and misunderstood by the secular society around them.\n\n\"Fjord\" attempts to convey a balanced conversation about the push and pull between religious and secular worlds, emphasizing that both sides believe they have all the answers but remain misguided. However, the narrative ends up reading more like fundamentalist propaganda than a nuanced exploration of the issue. The film's supporting characters are poorly developed, and the social workers are portrayed as robotic villains, turning the movie into a case of the parents fighting against an unjust system rather than fostering a meaningful dialogue about prejudices and prejudices.\n\nAlthough the performances of Stan and Reinsve are compelling, they overshadow the other characters, leaving them underdeveloped and making the audience's emotional investment difficult. The film's attempts to create an ambiguous atmosphere may have been an attempt to provoke thought, but it ultimately detracts from the narrative. In the end, \"Fjord\" misses the mark by focusing too heavily on a reductive script that sacrifices nuance for a heavy-handed message, making it a frustrating drama that fails to capitalize on its potential.",
  "summary": "Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve deliver compelling performances in \"Fjord,\" but director Cristian Mungiu's heavy-handed drama sacrifices nuance for a surprisingly one-sided narrative.",
  "key_points": [
    "Fjord explores religious vs. secular tensions in Norway.",
    "Critics rate the movie 2/5 stars despite strong performances.",
    "Film is criticized for heavy-handed message and poor character development."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}