22 July is a 2018 American crime drama film about the 2011 Norway attacks and their aftermath, based on the book One of Us: The Story of a Massacre in Norway — and Its Aftermath by Åsne Seierstad.[4][5][6] The film was written, directed and produced by Paul Greengrass and features a Norwegian cast and crew. It stars Anders Danielsen Lie, Jon Øigarden, Thorbjørn Harr, Jonas Strand Gravli, Ola G. Furuseth, Ulrikke Hansen Døvigen, Isak Bakli Aglen, Maria Bock, and Seda Witt. The film had its world premiere on September 5, 2018, in the main competition section of the 75th Venice International Film Festival.[7][8][9] and was released online and in select theaters on October 10, 2018, by Netflix.[10][11]

22 July
Official poster
Directed byPaul Greengrass
Screenplay byPaul Greengrass
Based onOne of Us: The Story of a Massacre in Norway — and Its Aftermath
by Åsne Seierstad
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPål Ulvik Rokseth
Edited byWilliam Goldenberg
Music bySune Martin
Production
company
Scott Rudin Productions
Distributed byNetflix
Release dates
  • September 5, 2018 (2018-09-05) (Venice)
  • October 10, 2018 (2018-10-10) (United States)
Running time
143 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million[2]
Box office$3.7 million[3]

Plot

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On July 22, 2011, Anders Behring Breivik dresses in a police uniform, loads a van with home-made explosives, and drives to Regjeringskvartalet, the executive government quarter in Oslo, Norway. He leaves the van outside the office of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. Moments later, it explodes, causing several casualties.

On the island of Utøya in Tyrifjorden, Buskerud, teenagers have arrived for Workers' Youth League (AUF) summer camp, organised by the ruling Labour Party. When they learn of the bombing, one student, Viljar Hanssen, calls his parents to make sure they are unhurt.

Breivik arrives at the ferry landing and informs staff that he is a police officer, sent to secure the island following the attack in Oslo. The camp director transports him to the island by boat. Breivik instructs the staff to gather the children in one location. When the head of security asks for ID, Breivik shoots him and the director dead. The children flee as Breivik opens fire, murdering dozens.

Viljar and his brother Torje hide on a rocky embankment on the beach. Viljar calls his mother to tell her a shooting is in progress. Breivik finds the group and starts shooting. Viljar is shot multiple times, but Torje escapes unharmed. Breivik surrenders to a tactical team, and is brought inland for interrogation.

Breivik claims he is the leader of a white nationalist group called the Knights Templar and that more attacks will happen on his signal. He requests the aid of lawyer Geir Lippestad, who defended a Neo-Nazi. Lippestad is morally conscientious of his client and professionally bonded by his ethics as a lawyer. Lippestad tries to argue an insanity defense for Breivik, which draws criticism as it means he will be institutionalized instead of imprisoned. With the help of various psychiatrists and psychologists, Breivik is initially diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Breivik tells Lippestad he wants to be declared competent to legitimize his attacks.

Viljar wakes from a coma with life-changing injuries and returns home with his family. He learns to walk again, but is haunted by memories of the attack. With the support of his mother, and another survivor of the attack on Utøya, he appears in court as a witness and delivers an account of the massacre. Breivik is sentenced to 21 years, that can be extended by a court if it is deemed he is still a danger to society.

Cast

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Production

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On August 21, 2017, Paul Greengrass announced that he was working on a new Netflix movie focused on the 2011 Norway attacks and aftermath.[13] The production began at the end of 2017.[14] The trailer of the film was released on 4 September 2018.[15] Greengrass revealed that he used Norwegian actors and crew for the film, because he considered that the film should be identified like a Norwegian film. He also revealed that he didn't use the Norwegian language for the film, because he didn't speak Norwegian, so he looked for actors who can speak English.[16]

Release

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The film had its world premiere at the 75th Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2018.[17] The film was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September 2018,[18] it also had a special presentation in Scandinavian theaters on 4 October 2018.[19] The film was released on 10 October 2018 on Netflix and in select theaters.[20] It was originally scheduled to be released on 2 November 2018, under the title Norway.[21]

Critical response

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On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 81%, based on 129 reviews, with an average rating of 6.9/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "22 July offers a hard-hitting close-up look at the aftereffects of terrorism, telling a story with a thriller's visceral impact and the lingering emotional resonance of a drama."[22] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "22 July". Venice International Film Festival. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  2. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (21 August 2017). "Netflix Lands Paul Greengrass Pic About Norwegian Terrorist Who Killed 77". Deadline. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  3. ^ "22 July (Utøya 22. juli) (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  4. ^ Leigh, Danny (5 September 2018). "22 July review – Paul Greengrass's searing account of Anders Breivik's mass murder". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 December 2018 – via www.theguardian.com.
  5. ^ Hans, Simran (14 October 2018). "22 July review – Paul Greengrass's tough telling of the Breivik massacre". The Observer. Retrieved 17 December 2018 – via www.theguardian.com.
  6. ^ Travers, Peter (10 October 2018). "Paul Greengrass Shakes You to the Core With Domestic Terrorism Tale '22 July'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Venice to Kick Off Awards Season With New Films From Coen Brothers, Luca Guadagnino and Alfonso Cuaron". The Hollywood Reporter. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Venice Film Festival Lineup: Heavy on Award Hopefuls, Netflix and Star Power". Variety. 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Venice Film Festival 2018 line-up: What to look out for, from Damien Chazelle's First Man to the completion of an unfinished Orson Welles epic". Independent. 29 August 2018. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  10. ^ Anderton, Ethan (1 October 2018). "Paul Greengrass' Netflix Movie '22 July' is Getting a Pretty Wide Theatrical Release". Slash Film. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  11. ^ Lang, Brent (1 October 2018). "Inside Netflix's Theatrical Release Plans for Paul Greengrass Drama '22 July' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Cast of Netflix 22 July Film by Paul Greengrass Announced". The Nordic Page. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  13. ^ Crow, David (21 August 2017). "Paul Greengrass of United 93 and Bourne fame will make a Netflix film about a right-wing Christian terrorist attack in Norway". Den Of Geek. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  14. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (21 August 2017). "Netflix Lands Paul Greengrass Pic About Norwegian Terrorist Who Killed 77". Deadlie Hollywood News. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  15. ^ Chitwood, Adam (4 September 2018). "First '22 July' Trailer Reveals Paul Greengrass' Chronicle of the Norwegian Terrorist Attack". Collider. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  16. ^ Kinane, Ruth (10 October 2018). "How Paul Greengrass filmed Norway's 'disturbing' 2011 terrorist attacks for 22 July". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  17. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (25 July 2018). "Venice Film Festival Lineup: Welles, Coen Brothers, Cuaron, Greengrass, More – Live". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  18. ^ O'Connell, Sean (13 September 2018). "When You Can See The Biggest Movies From The 2018 Toronto Film Festival". Cinemablend. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  19. ^ "Inside Netflix's Theatrical Release Plans for Paul Greengrass Drama '22 July' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  20. ^ "25 Awards Contenders to See This Season, From 'Roma' to 'The Favourite' to 'First Man' and More". IndieWire. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  21. ^ Parfitt, Orlando (22 January 2018). "15 Netflix Original movies to look out for in 2018". Screen International. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  22. ^ "22 July (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  23. ^ "22 July reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
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