Schpaaa

«Schpaaa», Pakistani slang adopted in Oslo to indicate what is good or "cool", is the title of the daring debut feature by Norwegian cinematographer Erik Poppe, when he turned to direction. It has the flaws you can expect when someone first ventures into new directions, but it has a passion and a desire to show the inner city in Oslo, the city of migrant children, subject to the violence and degradation, kids that do not live, only subsist.

Told with a touch of documentary filmmaking, it is the story of a small gang, seen through the eyes of the smartest boy, Jonas (Maikel Andressen Abou-Zelof), who, like Keitel had DeNiro «Mean Streets», has his own Johnny Boy, named Amir here (Jalal Zahedjekta); an inept leader, and two vicious small boys who have just gotten out of diapers.

As I watched it, I remembered the prophecies of a seer whose name I forgot, who predicted the destruction of Europe; and thought that it would be quite realistic that the emigrants coming from so many countries bled dry by Europe, will be active participants in that fall.

In the end, I pass the melodramatic bursts and musical effects, and appreciate more that Poppe started as director with a dramatic trio of movies united by a city, the Oslo Trilogy. After «Schpaaa,» Poppe did «Hawaii-Oslo» and then «Troubled Waters,» to complete his urban triptych. And a separate note deserves the interpreter, Abou-Zelof, whose personal drama turns the film into a fairy tale. You can read the long testimonial he posted on Facebook, with the help of Google translate. Real drama. 3/5.