Modern medications have the ability to rectify chemical imbalances, or even create them, but at what cost? The unknown side-effects of such meds has long been a psychological thriller waiting to happen, one that Danish screenwriter Anders Jensen (a lovely name, might I add) explores with chilling consequence in Fear Me Not. Yet the film falls victim to an imbalance of its own; director Kristian Levring can’t quite decide whether to settle for a drama or a thriller, leaving the film somewhere in the middle. The unfortunate side-effect of this is that anyone going in with  expectations belonging to either of the genres will probably have their opinions left somewhere in the middle too.

A beautiful lakefront house, a loving wife and a respectful teenage daughter is not enough for 42 year old Mikael (Ulrich Thomson). Taking a break from work, Mikael desperately looks for something to take his mind off of the monotony that has become his life. When his friend lets on that a pharmaceutical company is trailing a new anti-depressant, Mikael willingly signs up in a hope that it will solve all his problems. Yet the trial gets abandoned when the drug proves to have unexpected side-effects that cause erratic behaviour. Unwilling to simply give up the euphoria and sense of freedom induced by the pills, Mikael continues the trial in secret. Soon enough, the side-effects start to take their toll, leading Mikael down a dark path that sees him gradually lose control of his inhibitions.

Levering’s direction reveals Mikael’s initial discontent with great skill; if he’s not implying that Mikael is escaping reality by frequently listing to his iPod – one of the most antisocial invention of recent times – then the spatial gaps that exist between Mikael and his wife are greatly accentuated within each frame. Mikael’s degrading mental stability is chilling yet captivating; the odd juxtaposition of shots and an unsettling use of jump cuts is effectively used to distort our perception of time and stability as Mikael becomes obsessed with his new-found sense of freedom. The moment things do start getting out of control, you realise just how invested you are in Mikael’s character, making his perverse decisions all the more unnerving. Ulrich Thomson’s intense performance does exceptionally well at keeping you on his side, no matter how immoral he becomes. You’ll also find yourself supportive of Mikeal’s  wife Sigrid (Paprika Steen) and daughter Selma (Emma Sehested Høeg), making their climactic family reunion a nerve-racking conflict of interest for the audience.

However, the psychological mind games of Mikael are few and far between, causing the build up of tension to derail just as soon as it picked up speed. For this reason, Fear Me Not reaches a momentary peak in tension just past the half way point, almost feeling as though it’s working backwards from then on. That being said, the films climax is refreshingly handled; narrowly avoiding the conventions of Hollywood by opting not to drift too far away from the realms of plausibility. Yet because the film distinctly segregates the drama from the thriller genre, it can be a fickle journey getting there.

Verdict:

Fear Me Not takes an unnerving look at the psychological dangers that potentially could derive from modern society’s dependence on prescription medication. Yet the moments of great drama and tension are not readily able to coexist in a film that otherwise boasts strong performances and solid direction.

---

Fear Me Not screens apart of the 2009 Bigpond Adelaide Film Festival.

At time of publishing, tickets can still be purchased for a screening on the 25th of Feb at 9:15pm . See here for details.

For more reviews and features from the Bigpond Adelaide Film Festival, visit the page devoted to our coverage  here.

Follow the author Anders Wotzke on Twitter.