There’s a special place in my heart for summertime coming-of-age movies. I think if most of us looked inside we would realize we all have that special warm spot. Whether it’s The Sandlot or Stand by Me or the brilliant Stranger Things, there’s a magic accessibility and vulnerability in the wild, sweet scented summers of childhood. The Innocents makes itself a comfortable and profound home in the lexicon.

The Innocents (De uskyldige in the original Norwegian) follows four young children through a summer that will change their lives forever. Ida (Rakel Lenora Fløttum) is a serious and protective younger sister – a role usually reserved for the older sister… Only Ida’s older sister, Anna (Alva Brynsmo Ramstad) is severely autistic, and nonverbal. As the girls move into a new town with their parents, they meet local kids – Ben (Sam Ashraf) and Aisha (Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim). Ida makes friends quickly with mischievous Ben, but soon realizes he might not be the kind of friend she’s looking for.

Ben has mysterious powers – fun and funny when they involve making a rock fly around the forest – and terrifying when he uses them to torture a stray cat. As she starts to question this friendship, Aisha and Anna create an otherworldly bond, as they realize they can communicate without words. For the first time, Anna is able to communicate effectively – and, it turns out, she has some powers of her own. The magic of this summer is quickly turned into a nightmare, as Ben’s impulsive rage puts all of them in danger – and changes everything they thought they knew.

There’s a gentle, slow pacing to The Innocents – reminiscent of one of my favorite films, The Florida Project. Even as the drama ramps up, we are reminded that these are only children – they can’t jump in a car and race across town, or make a stink at work, or use the usual adult coping skills to make their situation better. They rely on parents who don’t listen or pay attention, and their own barely developed coping mechanisms. Particularly tragic, without being too much of a virtue signal, is Anna’s journey. Imagine going through all the changes of adolescence and pre-pubescence without being able to speak. Imagine having worlds of understanding inside that can’t get out. As Anna found her power, I found myself moved to tears and cheers of joy.

Truly remarkable performances from all four children are the heart and soul of this wholesome yet harrowing tale. True emotion seems to show through in every scene – without gimmicks. Fløttum in particular is brilliant, beautifully vulnerable, with a laugh that brings out the parental pride in even the least parental of us. Her careful caretaking of Anna, met with her childlike resentment, provides a very thin tightrope that she walks like a pro triple her age. Ashraf,  Asheim, and Ramstad are all equally brilliant, carefully highlighting the balance of childhood emotions and delightfully untrained and uninhibited.

The Innocents includes scenes of severe and shocking violence, including violence against animals, and children participating in violence against themselves and others that may disturb some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.

9 out of 10