Joe is found half dead in an alley and brought home by a man named Seligman. That is the whole premise of Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac: Vol. I, and it barely even gets started. This is a film about confession, boredom, and the strange comfort of talking to strangers. It is also a film about sex, and lots of it, but not in the way you might expect.
Trailer, via Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing.
Joe Tells Her Story
Joe is played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, and she spends nearly two hours recounting her life to Seligman. The story begins when Joe is a girl, a young teenager, and she has her first experience with a man she calls Jerôme. From there, the film moves through a series of encounters with strangers, lovers, and brief connections, each told in a matter-of-fact way that treats sex as a natural part of being human.
Stacy Martin plays Young Joe, and her performance is a highlight. She carries the weight of a childhood and a teenage history that Gainsbourg can only hint at as the adult narrator. The film is structured around these flashbacks, which are woven through Seligman’s own stories about his hobbies: fly fishing, reading about Fibonacci numbers, and listening to organ music.
Seligman’s Strange Comfort
Seligman is played by Stellan Skarsgård, and his role is as much about the act of listening as anything else. He is a curious man who finds himself drawn to Joe’s story, even as he admits he knows little about women. Their conversations are the spine of the film, and they are often tender, awkward, and strangely intimate.
The film is built on these exchanges, with Seligman asking questions and Joe answering them. The rhythm is slow, deliberate, and sometimes tedious. It is not a film that rushes to its destination.
The Sex Scenes
There is a lot of sex in Nymphomaniac: Vol. I, and it is not always pleasant. Some scenes are tender, some are brutal, and some are simply mechanical. The film does not shy away from the darker side of desire, and it does not always find a way to make that feel meaningful.
Shia LaBeouf appears as Jerôme, the man who first touches Joe as a girl. His presence is brief but significant, and the scene involving him is one of the film’s most uncomfortable moments. Uma Thurman plays Mrs. H, and her scenes are among the film’s funniest, though the humor comes from the absurdity of the situation rather than any genuine warmth.
Christian Slater plays Joe’s father, and his performance is stiff and cold. Connie Nielsen plays Joe’s mother, and her scenes are few but effective. Sophie Kennedy Clark plays B, and her appearance is brief but memorable. Ananya Berg plays Joe at ten years old, and her performance is small but moving. Jens Albinus plays S, Anders Hove plays Odin, and Simon Böer plays Man Uninterested, all of whom appear in small roles that support the larger narrative.
The Tagline Is True
The tagline for Nymphomaniac: Vol. I is “Forget about love.” That is the film’s central argument, and it is made with sincerity rather than cynicism. The characters in the film do not find love in the traditional sense, and the film suggests that perhaps love is not the point.
This is a bold statement, and it is one that the film mostly earns through its commitment to its own logic. The film is not interested in romance, and it does not pretend otherwise.
Where It Falls Short
Nymphomaniac: Vol. I is a demanding film, and not everyone will want to sit through its full runtime. The pacing is slow, and the film does not always know when to cut away from a scene that has already made its point. Some of the sex scenes are repetitive, and the film does not always find new ways to approach its subject.
The film is also deeply pessimistic. There is little joy in its depiction of relationships, and the characters rarely seem to find fulfillment in their lives. This is not necessarily a flaw, but it is a tone that some viewers will find exhausting.
A Film About Talking
At its core, Nymphomaniac: Vol. I is a film about the act of telling a story. Joe tells her story to Seligman, and Seligman listens. The film is interested in the mechanics of confession, in the way that words can bind two people together even as they remain strangers.
It is also a film about the loneliness of being alive. Joe has had countless partners, and yet she remains alone in a way that Seligman, who has never been married, understands. The film suggests that connection is not always available, even when we want it.
The Verdict
Nymphomaniac: Vol. I is a flawed but ambitious film. It is not an easy watch, and it is not always successful in its execution. But it is a film that is willing to ask difficult questions about desire, connection, and the meaning of a life lived fully.
The film is at its best when it is focused on its characters, and at its worst when it loses sight of them in its own ambition. It is a film that demands patience, and it rewards those who are willing to give it.
Key Facts Box
– Director: Lars von Trier
– Written by: Lars von Trier
– Runtime: 118 minutes
– Genre: Drama
– Tagline: “Forget about love”
Final Score
Nymphomaniac: Vol. I is a film that will divide audiences. Some will find it compelling, others will find it tedious. It is a film that is willing to be difficult, and it is a film that is willing to fail.
But it is also a film that is worth seeing, if only for the performances of Gainsbourg and Skarsgård, and for the rare honesty of its central idea.
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