Death does not play chess and there are no wild strawberries in this Norwegian picture, but the spirit of Ingmar Bergman dwells within it. Life is hard, angst and guilt are always present, doubt (theological and legal) and temptation preoccupy us, but redemption is a possibility.
Jan Thomas, convicted for the abduction and presumed murder of a young child, is paroled from prison and emerges with a gift for music. He lands a job as the organist for an Oslo church, makes great inventive music, and falls into a relationship with a sexy pastor and her preschool-aged son. Meanwhile, the victim's mother pursues him demanding to know the truth. Did Jan Thomas, who continues to profess his innocence, kill her son or not? These two story lines, one told in flashback, converge, the truth comes out in a tormented confession, and the credits roll.
The production values and acting here are fine. The characters interest the viewer. Unfortunately, there is no dramatic basis provided for the protagonist's action in abducting the young child, and there is no resolution provided for the questions that inevitably emerge from the drama. Will the guy get the girl? Will the victim's mother find peace of mind? Will Jan Thomas be saved? We never know, because the director of "Troubled Water" has concerned himself only with act two of what should have been a three-act drama.
Jan Thomas, convicted for the abduction and presumed murder of a young child, is paroled from prison and emerges with a gift for music. He lands a job as the organist for an Oslo church, makes great inventive music, and falls into a relationship with a sexy pastor and her preschool-aged son. Meanwhile, the victim's mother pursues him demanding to know the truth. Did Jan Thomas, who continues to profess his innocence, kill her son or not? These two story lines, one told in flashback, converge, the truth comes out in a tormented confession, and the credits roll.
The production values and acting here are fine. The characters interest the viewer. Unfortunately, there is no dramatic basis provided for the protagonist's action in abducting the young child, and there is no resolution provided for the questions that inevitably emerge from the drama. Will the guy get the girl? Will the victim's mother find peace of mind? Will Jan Thomas be saved? We never know, because the director of "Troubled Water" has concerned himself only with act two of what should have been a three-act drama.