Watch Louder Than Bombs

Louder Than Bombs is a 2015 drama film directed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier. The film stars Gabriel Byrne, Isabelle Huppert, and Jesse Eisenberg, and it tells the story of a family struggling to come to terms with the death of their wife and mother. The film opens with the death of the famous war photographer, Isabelle Reed (Isabelle Huppert), who died in a car accident while on assignment. The story then follows her husband, Gene (Gabriel Byrne), and her two sons, Jonah (Jesse Eisenberg) and Conrad (Devin Druid), as they try to move on with their lives and come to terms with her death.

The film is non-linear, moving back and forth in time, as Gene prepares for an exhibition of Isabelle's work at the same time that Jonah comes to visit from his life abroad, prompting the family to confront long-held secrets and repressed emotions.

Louder Than Bombs explores the themes of family, loss, grief, and memory. The film's portrayal of the family dynamic is very realistic, showing both the love and tensions between the family members as they try to deal with their grief in their own ways. The relationship between Gene and Isabelle is also portrayed in a nuanced way, revealing the complexities of their marriage and their respective struggles with their careers as artists and parents.

The film also touches on the theme of identity, as Jonah struggles with his own identity and his seemingly perfect life in academia, while Conrad tries to establish his own identity as a teenager without his mother. The tension between Conrad and Jonah is palpable throughout the film, as both deal with their own guilt and grief in different ways.

One of the standout performances in the film is from Isabelle Huppert, whose portrayal of the late Isabelle Reed is both powerful and haunting. She appears mostly in flashbacks and photographs, but her presence is felt throughout the film as the family tries to make sense of her life and legacy.

The film's cinematography is also worth noting, as the camera work is excellent and captures the mood and atmosphere of the film perfectly. The use of color and light is especially effective, and the film's soundtrack helps to establish the emotional tone of each scene.

Overall, Louder Than Bombs is a powerful and emotionally charged film that explores the complexities of grief and the struggle to come to terms with the loss of a loved one. The film's non-linear approach to storytelling and excellent performances from its cast make it a must-see for fans of character-driven dramas.

Louder Than Bombs is a 2016 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6 and a MetaScore of 70.