The
problem with melodrama is that if the situation isn’t
compelling, not even the best performances in the world can save
it. This is one of those cases. Fortunately, the cast manages to
wrestle the mediocre script to the ground and made an almost
compelling movie.
Jacob (Mads
Mikkelsen) is a missionary living in India, where he helps take
care of starving children in Africa. One day the mission’s
director (Meenal Patel) tells him that there’s a new source of
funding that that’ll solve all their problems, only there’s one
catch. He has to fly to Denmark to shake the benefactor’s hand.
Things start
out actually pretty well, and the philanthropist, a zillionaire
named Jorgen(Rolf Lassgard), is inclined to go ahead, and since
Jacob has nothing to do until the next meeting, Jorgan invites
him to attend his daughter Anna’s (Stine Fischer Christensen)
wedding [she’s marrying Jurgen’s assistant(Christian Tafdrup)].
So he goes, and when he gets there, he spots Helene (Sidse
Babett Knudsen), Jorgen’s wife and the reason Jacob fled to
India all those years ago. You don’t have to ask who Anna’s real
father is do you?
With the big
secret revealed, the real soap opera begins, and the whole thing
becomes rather predictable. But then we have Rolf Lassgard
chewing the scenery like nobody’s business, and Ms. Babett
managing to keep up with him. Mads Mikkelsen tries to keep up,
but even though he can’t, he’s close enough behind to almost
keep up with them. This is some excellent acting here and is
lots of fun to watch. This deservedly got a foreign film Oscar
nomination and is worth a look.
Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff Richard E. Schiff
Richard E. Schiff
