Cannes Review: Low Expectations Is a Skilled and Bittersweet First Film

      From A Star is Born to Vox Lux to Inside Llewyn Davis, the film industry is filled with tales of disillusioned musicians who either shone brightly for a time or never achieved their desired success. The new movie Low Expectations, a poignant story from Oslo that aligns with the works of Joachim Trier, puts a modern twist on this familiar premise. One of the more talked-about films from this year’s Directors’ Fortnight, it centers on a distinctly 21st-century occurrence: the artist who gains moderate fame through various websites and blogs, even embarking on a global tour, yet finds little to show for it when the initial excitement subsides.

      Low Expectations marks the feature film debut of Eivind Landsvik, a director who has consistently produced short films since 2016. Despite this body of work, Landsvik revealed that the idea for his film emerged during a professional low point—specifically when he worked as a proctor in Oslo during high school exams. During the lengthy, uneventful hours of this job, he developed the narrative about a singer named Maja who finds herself in a similar role and must confront the monotony (A Star is Bored?) after a decade of relative success. For the lead role, Landsvik made a significant choice by casting Marie Ulven, known as Girl in Red, a real-life bedroom pop star. With her charming performance, the inherent metatextual energy she conveys, and the film's skillful visuals and sound, it becomes a surprisingly delightful watch.

      Given Trier's achievements in recent years, it must be frustrating for emerging Norwegian directors to be compared to him. However, Landsvik's choices in color, film stock, dry humor, and editing style make Low Expectations one of the clearest representations of Trier's influence that I've encountered. Having Anders Danielsen Lie, Trier's long-time collaborator, in a role also enhances this connection, though the similarities would be noticeable regardless; depending on your preferences, this could be a positive aspect. The film also features familiar story arcs: it’s likely you'll anticipate Maja’s struggle with her creative block and her new surge of confidence stemming from the classroom, which ultimately aids her artistic journey. But tropes exist for a reason, and witnessing them employed with such precision and care is always worthwhile.

      In addition to Ulven’s delightful leading role, Low Expectations offers several excellent supporting performances—particularly Danielsen Lie as an older teacher who becomes a subtle mentor, Embla Berntsen as a student with whom Maja forms a connection, Tone Mostraum as Maja's touching mother, and especially Kind Monsson—who appeared in Landsvik’s short film Tits and effortlessly steals every scene as Oscar, the school’s IT technician. When Maja light-heartedly inquires if he plans to act violently during her cigarette break, he responds dryly, “No, that’s not my thing. I’ve actually had sex.”

      While the film doesn't reinvent the wheel and not every aspect is a standout, after two weeks of lengthy and intense films at Cannes, Low Expectations felt as welcoming and refreshing as a gentle breeze.

      Low Expectations had its premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.