Dir. Viljar B∅e (2024)
A man believes his leg is rotting and devises a plan to fix it.
Body identity disorder is one of the strangest mental illnesses that people deal with, though perhaps it shouldn't be looked at as any different from any other disorder. The feeling that one of your body parts don't belong, or the belief that it is infected and must be removed, is possibly just as terrifying for those who suffer from it as it is for those who don't. This is another common trait with other mental disorders, and it's a subject that doesn't get enough attention: people who suffer from bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and the like have far more to worry about from themselves than they are a concern for other people. And yet, mental illness is the one subject where it's still practically acceptable to treat someone as different. Thankfully, there have been large strides in recent years to increase acceptance for those dealing with these issues, though we certainly have a long way to go. Today's film is about one of these people, and it is a doozy.
Amir (Freddy Singh) has come to believe that his left leg is rotting, coming to understand quickly that he has body identity disorder. His girlfriend Kim (Julie Abrahamsen) is supportive, but Amir does not believe that she would accept his newly discovered condition. He sees a television show about a young woman, Riike (Louise Waage Anda), who suffers from the same disorder he does, and the pair quickly form a friendship in order to further their goals of banishing their undesired parts once and for all. As Amir's work life, under new boss and old friend Jonas (Viggo Solomon), begins to go as shit as his personal life, Amir must decide how committed he will be to his plan to cripple himself in pursuit of his ideal body.
Above the Knee is a relatively slow moving indie horror that leans heavy into the psychological implications of what Amir is contemplating. The internal pressures alone are frightening in their implications, but when you add on the external factors, like a new friend who quickly begins to throw Amir's regular life into chaos, things are clearly ratcheting up to unmanageable levels. It's scary enough to be watching a man going through what Amir is going through without also watching him put himself into an impossible situation on top of it.
Director Viljar B∅e does a great job with this one, crafting a film that will cause the audience to look on in horror as they anticipate the eventual resolution that we know must be coming. His use of Amir as an unreliable narrator, fitting for a film that is ultimately about mental illness, was an excellent choice, not only helping us to see the world through Amir's eyes but also providing enough horror elements to keep us interested despite the slower plot. It's a relatively simplistic plot, too, as the primary conceit of the film is simply to watch Amir slowly get into his fantasies way over his head and then watch him fall apart.
Films like this rely almost entirely on the performances within to make it work. The concept of a person dealing with body identity disorder may be interesting, but if it's not believable, it's just one more film about a crazy dude that gives into his delusions. Thankfully, Singh is up to the task. He delivers a solid performance that really helps drive home the desperation that his character feels, alone in this horrific situation with no real support from those who assuredly won't understand what he's going through. It's not just Singh who does well here, though: Abrahamsen is great as the beleaguered girlfriend, and Anda is perhaps even better than Singh as the woman who shares his affliction.
Above the Knee is handled must more artistically than a lot of films that would take the same path. This isn't Cronenbergian body horror, nor is it a splatter film by any means. It's slow burn indie, and it's a good one. B∅e is a phenomenal filmmaker in the disturbing horror genre, and his previous film Good Boy knocked my fucking socks off. While this one isn't nearly as horrifying as his previous effort, it's still excellently done arthouse horror with a fascinating plot. I definitely recommend it, and you should check out his other one while you're at it.
Who this movie is for: Body horror fans, Indie horror buffs, Unlicensed surgeons
Bottom line: Viljar B∅e is an outstanding filmmaker, and Above the Knee is further proof that he knows what he's doing. The film is carried by stellar performances from each member of the cast and a plot that is disturbingly realistic. It's a bit slow moving and out there, but it's a hyper realistic portrayal of what some people are actually going through. The film is playing at Beyond Fest, and if you get the chance to go, you need to. If not, this is definitely one you'll want to seek out.
