In a Better World

For me, great, maybe because it’s my first movie by Susanne Bier (looking at the complaints, she’s pretty repetitive). At first, it might look like festival-bait that wants to be deep but only repeats well known simple truths and pieces of wisdom (and the picturesque landscape shots support that), but it gradually turns out that all the motifs really fit together somehow and the film never drowns in its own ambitions or degrades with excessive literality. (12/16/2013)

I avoided the film for two years, but today I can say that it was in vain. Once again Scandinavia did not disappoint, serving up a steamy thriller about bullying intertwined with a gritty war in Africa, and both lines work perfectly. I liked the child actors and their fathers, there are some uncomfortable gritty scenes and I had a great time throughout, so satisfaction. A solid film in all respects. Very pleased with Ulrich Thomsen from Banshee. 80% (03/09/2018)

Would it be possible next time to make a better world without glycerine tears, curt behaviour of the characters (which the screenwriter “assigns” or temporarily “withdraws” based solely on which extreme emotion is needed on the screen at the moment), mechanically accurate timing of dramatic situations (an explosion, a suicide attempt) and kitschy landscape shots and slow-motion scenes of fleeing Africans? 50% (03/05/2012)

I have to admit, this film really surprised me, and I won’t spoil why. When I see a film come out of Denmark, I usually expect a powerful, emotional, brutal, and incredibly realistic story about life. And while this movie definitely delivered on all those fronts, it also managed to be something different, which is where its true strength lies. By the end, nothing feels certain, yet the idea of a "better world" still lingers. Susanne Bier is an incredible director. I find her films consistently impressive—ones I often can’t resist giving five stars to. The director's surname sparked the idea to pour myself a beer after the movie, though the story gave it a bitter taste in my mouth. This movie makes you think about some of life’s most fundamental questions, and it does so in a way that really sticks with you. (03/05/2012)

Danish dramas are starting to have happy endings? The world is undoubtedly fucked. Bier walks a similar path as fellow dogmatist Vinterberg. Her drama about guilt, violence and forgiveness is visually enjoyable, completed tastefully and is a bit literary. I really liked a few things: the typical director's work with the landscape, which serves as a mirror of the mental states of the characters, the excellently modeled and acted characters, the non-forgettable use of the African storyline, which corresponds and deepens the Danish storyline. In a Better World contains a respectable portion of traditional Nordic themes: death, revenge, mourning, sociopathic behavior, all in a surprisingly coherent state that testifies to the excellent abilities of Bier and her court writer A.T. Jensen. Unfortunately, I'm not that enthusiastic about the ending. I have nothing against the ideal of unconditional love, but it cannot be overlooked that the author rather abuses the character in the end, the tension and plasticity disappear from the film, and the still dormant engagement comes into play. Despite the fact that catharsis is somewhat resentful and contrived, this is further evidence that the Danes can display Europe's current crisis state without awkwardness and ideological farces. (02/22/2011)