IN A Better World
Wicked Danish production that beat “Fire” in the category of best foreign film at the last Academy Awards, “IN A Better World” was mostly won top honors in recognition of her career Susanne Bier. The story, well orchestrated, but extremely melodramatic, is far from enthroned at the top of her filmography.
Following the death of his wife, Claus (Ulrich Thomsen) has moved up shop in Denmark, where his son Christian (William Johnk Nielsen) has a hard time to acclimatize. However, it binds friendship with Elias (Markus Rygaard), the scapegoat of the school. The teenager decided to defend the honor of the father of his new friend, Anton (Mikael Persbrandt), which tends to turn the right cheek when he is slapped on the left.
For at least a decade, director Susanne Bier built all her films the same way. Two stories that intersect leave indelible marks that will shake the family dynamic forever. After her stories about love (“Open Hearts”, “Brothers”) and mourning (“After the wedding”, “Things We Lost in Fire”), here to continue exploring in the wake of anger and forgiveness.
At first glance, “IN A Better World” seems to be the work of full maturity. Dogma 95 is long since abandoned, the theater director likes to treat excessive images. Never have her photograph was also impressive. Her direction of actors is also impeccable. The actors seem to take perverse pleasure in stabbing of incendiary words. She who has the most incisive venom that wins the game. A demonstration can give chilling (William Johnk Nielsen is particularly disturbing), and whose sensitive playing and internalized much of the distribution passes through the faces and the unspoken.
Pity that this subtlety does not always find in the scenario. The dialogues sometimes heavy moralizing and do not mix with maudlin music and seconded. As in “Biutiful” to Inarritu, Bier is aware she navigates the waters of melodrama. Yet she feels compelled to force the dose of stress situations, recalling how violence eventually destroy everything in its path. Her way of playing with the comparisons and symbols provides additional burdens that the story could have happened.
Upon introduction, which seems plagiarized on that of “After the wedding”, the parallels between Africa poor, but noble and Denmark rich but blind weave, recalling that suffering affects everyone. A process which, come to the conclusion stage, increases the idling of these “benefits of childhood”, that period when children’s education and parental presence will be crucial to avoid future problems.
In this context, “After the Wedding” and even “Open Hearts” are more mature films, because much less manipulative in their pursuit of emotions at all costs. “IN A better world” already had all these qualities to those tears and make them think at the same time. There was no need to offer more than ask and let the humor at the door, unlike the previous installment of the designer.
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