What a peculiar world Andreas has landed in, without even knowing how it happened. A driver has picked him up in the wilderness and taken him to this strange place. He soon has a job, an apartment, even a woman. Everything would be just fine – were it not for these peculiarities. The food is oddly tasteless, and the people, though friendly enough, seem indifferent and lacking in emotion. Then, when Andreas loses a fingertip in an accident at work, it is back on his hand again next morning. In bright, clear images, director Jens Lien describes a surreal nightmare that leaves plenty of scope for interpretation. Whether this brave new world is a reference to the alienation of life in modern society or a portent of some terrible afterlife is irrelevant. “The Bothersome Man” is a compelling portrayal of a plausible parallel world. Andreas’ attempts to escape make for truly gripping cinema.