BeyondFest 2024 Review: ABOVE THE KNEE Attempts a Different Take on The Domestic Thriller

Amir has a dark secret that he’s keeping from everyone close to him. He wants to get rid of one of his legs. The left one specifically. Amir has body dysmorphic disorder, a disorder that leaves him convinced that one of his legs is rotting away and he’ll be much happier if he were to cut it off, Above The Knee as the title suggests. So Amir sets a date and begins to plan how he’ll remove the decaying appendage. 

 

The Norwegian thriller from writer and director Viljar Bøe, with one of his leads Freddy Singh joining him as co-writer, is at its core a domestic thriller. The difference here is that the pair use body image dysphoria (clinically called Body Dysmorphic Disorder) as the accelerant in the domestic thriller setting. 

 

Amir hides from his girlfriend Kim paintings and illustrations he’s made, images of his perceived deformities. He hides them in a locked room in their house, which we are conveniently assured was “locked” when they took over the house. He’s someone struggling to deal with their dysphoria, who cannot tell those close to him what he is going through. What does he do when painting is no longer the outlet that he needs to express his ailment? Enter Rikke. 

 

Amir confides in Rikke, a woman who has gone public with her dysphoria, her wish that she was blind. He starts to spend more and more time with her, because she is someone that he can relate to, someone he can finally open up to about his thoughts and feelings. As with any illicit relationship it starts out with common ground, found with someone who is not your partner. A connection is made, “We have so much in common. You don’t like your eyes? Well, hey, this left leg of mine is a right old bastard as well”.

 

The more time Amir spends with Rikke, his relationship with long time girlfriend Kim becomes strained. So does his friendship with his friend Jonas at work. Deadlines pass and Jonas has to cover for Amir's absence at work and home. It’s all the same thing as your domestic thrillers have been, we’re just not boiling bunnies here (longshot erotic thriller reference) but threatening to cut off our own legs and blind ourselves. 

 

The one positive thing to take from this unconventional friendship is that Rikke tells Amir that he is going to have to remove his leg through an accident, so as not to raise suspicion and he won’t be able to claim any health insurance benefits. This is where Amir sets the date and we begin to wait and wait, inching closer to the ‘the accident’. Meanwhile, the domestic thriller DNA pops up again as an attachment develops and eventually threats to expose the plans come up. Will Amir be able to meet his set deadline?

 

Above The Knee raises questions whether there are enough horror elements in this to satisfy the devout horror crowd. The story starts with images of saws and blood which continue throughout the story, gradually changing to a jagged stone and blood as Amir has to change his plans for 'the accident'. Director Bøe uses body horror imagery a lot to provoke reactions from the viewer - and to keep us interested, honestly. As the drama rolls out in the back of our minds we’re asking. Will he or won’t he? We figure this is our sadistic side that has us eagerly waiting for ‘the accident’ to actually happen - we want blood!

 

Sound also plays a key role in the buildup to the accident. Frequently, to remind us how much this dysphoria weighs on Amir’s mind, we hear the sounds of squishing flesh and crunching bone as they clutch their knee. When we get to ‘the accident’ (like you didn’t think it was going to happen?) sounds help play with the mind’s eye, creating images in your mind that aren’t there. You’ll get some gore and payoff after being promised as such throughout the film. We’d riot if we were counting down to the day and were denied some kind of violent action. ‘What do you mean Amir sought professional help after realizing he’d lose more than just his leg?’ (Tears off seat cushion at the cinema) ‘Attica! Attica!’

 

So it begs the question, who is this movie for? Above The Knee is better served as entry level horror for the mature movie goer who wants something a little different. Something for someone looking for more than guts and gore, something that justifies them waiting for the big climax. For those who consider themselves sophisticated movie goers, the post-brunch, weekend matinee crowd. For someone whose daily cinematic diet doesn’t include at least a side dish of horror. The kind of movie that your older relative mentions to you the next time you’re over for dinner.

 

“You’ll be proud of me. I watched this ‘horror movie’ the other day "

 

"…”

 

How do you tell them? 

 

There is an epilogue, of course. Amir’s happiness is everyone else’s sorrow now as he’s also off-loaded his spiritual darkness onto those closest to him. There is a final shot in the movie that is an ‘Oh Snap!!!’ sort of shot, meant to raise the question, is Amir truly free now? Following through on it could have added an extra level of extremity to the story, but we’re left with this cliffhanger, wondering if we even want to find out what happens next. Likely not.