After the Wedding [DVD]

AFTER THE WEDDING (EFTER BRYLLUPPET) (A+) I was just coming off my euphoric high from "The Lives of Others," a Cold War era story of self-discovery and redemption in the desperately paranoiac last years of the East German Stasi, when along comes an exquisite Danish film about reconnecting lives, second chances, and noble deeds called "After the Wedding," written and directed by Susanne Bier, that all but left me hyperventilating. Both films are as freehanded and frank as they are forgiving while penetrating with astute precision the flawed, enigmatic, but accessible souls that populate their narratives. Both explore the murky issues of power, trust, self-interest, honor, morality, and spirituality. Without sentimentality or the manipulation of our responses, both end on an upbeat, if uncertain note of hopefulness. "After the Wedding" is often extraordinary for what is left unsaid -- Bier, with 20-20 vision of her story and its implications, believes in an economy of words and the generous use of camera close-ups to capture nuances in expression, gesture, mannerism, and body language, as her characters have stirring encounters with one another. Of course, that approach takes for granted the keen insights and instincts of her actors and how fully invested they are in their roles. Those assumptions are never in doubt with the cast of "After the Wedding," which is headed by Mads Mikkelsen as Jacob Petersen, a rugged, hands-on humanitarian and, in some cases, surrogate father, who administers a food-aid program for orphaned children in India. The promise of a windfall gift from a wealthy Copenhagen industrialist named Jorgen (Rolf Lassgard) that will underwrite construction of an orphanage takes Jacob back to his native soil for somewhat delicate negotiations. There are terms and conditions to iron out before the transfer of funds can be implemented, so Jacob is obliged to be obliging to his benefactor for a few days. As it happens, the wedding of Jorgen's only daughter Anna coincides with Jacob's stay, and the affable billionaire is graciously adamant that Jacob attend, though our hero is clearly more at home with grit than glitz. Just after the ceremony itself, Jacob encounters a coincidental and shocking link with his past and, later, a stunning revelation about the present, that saddles him with a potentially life-altering dilemma. What follows is an urgent and deeply affecting melodrama, in its most distinguished form, that explores with brilliant clarity and aching humanity the yin and yang of allegiances, moral ambiguities, and, in the end, a decision that tests the mettle of a man torn between two callings. Mikkelsen, seen for the first time by most American moviegoers as the villain Le Chiffre in last year's James Bond prequel, "Casino Royale," is a magnetic actor, in the mold of Clive Owen, Gerard Butler, Christian Bale, and Russell Crowe, who commands the screen with his ideally constructed frame, chiseled cheekbones, and wide eyes that peer icily and inscrutably, probe menacingly, and well up tenderheartedly as befits a complex character haunted by a less-than-impeccable past and confronted with having to make intelligent judgments and agonizing choices that will change the entire landscape of his future. But "After the Wedding" is almost as much Lassgard's film, as he transitions from impregnable corporate mogul with appearances of ulterior magnanimity to gentle giant in the ultimate state of vulnerability. He has a scene near the end of "After the Wedding" that's as exhaustively heart-rending as any I've seen on film. Like "The Lives of Others," "After the Wedding" was an entry in last year's Oscar sweepstakes for Best Foreign Language Film, but wasn't placed in general U.S. release until the first quarter of 2007. They'll be tough competition for the wave of late year entries that usually dominate my "Dazzling Dozen."

[PROLOGUE: This film features visual depictions of "mindfulness" and "reflective thinking," subjects which are currently receiving much academic and popular attention, as in, e.g., the practice of meditation. Mindfulness emphasizes the "awareness" of the "present moment," as seen in this film.] The accolades accorded to the two leading male actors in this movie are well deserved. What only slowly grew in my consciousness is the outstandingly nuanced performance by the actress Sidse Babett Knudsen, in her role as Jorgen Hansson's wife Helene. I did not immediately recognize the varied dimensions of this finely nuanced performance, a hidden treasure which I only gradually realized through repeated, extended exposure, coupled with my increasing understanding of the underlying psychological dynamics which this actress's film character may have been experiencing, and which this actress's performance sought to convey - which she does with aplomb. Sidse Babett Knudsen's acting is remarkable for another reason: she is playing more than just one role, she is playing three: (tycoon's) wife, mother, and former lover. Each of these roles requires very distinct character acting, each of which this actress plays distinctively, convincingly, and with powerful feminine magnetism. Some of the most compelling and effective acting by Sidse Babette Knudsen, as Helene Hansson, is principally conveyed by this actress's wide range of captivating facial expressions, many of which were so subtle and discreet as to be barely perceptible (see her tete-a-tete with Mads Mikkelsen, conducted over a side table at her manor house) - this caliber and range of acting is terrific stuff. I am not bothered, like some, by numerous close-up shots of the film's four principal characters. Aren't we talking frontal cortex here? I feel these close-up shots are valid and effective, sometime capturing a film character's private, interior moments, and sometimes a film character's behavioral sine qua non - as with the pivotal realization by Jorgen Hansson's wife Helene, to remarks by the grandmother re her son Jorgen's chauffeur, etc. (followed by a close-up shot of a chandelier's dangling glass chimes). Intimate, "non-invasive" close-up shots, taken from the side, enable the tender capture of "getting to know you" or "catching up" moments, when a young girl touchingly examins the facial expressions of her newly-discovered biological father, to see whether he is genuinely interested in viewing the pictures in her childhood photo album. Considering the magnitude and nature of the information which this film's principal characters have to process, and when and in what contexts they have to process it, close-up shots of eyes may be considered to be part of this film's "action" - as, in fact, it is. I doubt that this film's type of intimate psychological action could be conveyed effectively to an audience in stage acting, where an audience is relatively distant from actors, as it can be conveyed in a film's intimate, and sometimes mandatory, close-up shots, as we see in this film. It's unfortunate for those of us who do not watch or are not saturated or jaded by soap opera, etc., to be burdened and distracted by some commentators' cheapening, maudlin comparisons of this refreshing, high quality film to, e.g., soap opera.

This film just might be the best picture with Mads Mikkelsen, and he has done many very good films. The thing is, when he made this one, with an excellent cast brilliantly directed by Susanne Bier, none of these people were internationally famous; fame came later, with the popularity of "The Girl With a Dragon Tatoo" and series like "The Killing" and "The Bridge". And because of that fame, we now get treated to the international distribution of this great film. This is not a crime thriller, mind you. This is drama at its best: a great cast directed by someone who can get the best out of every actor. They seem so natural, you may forget you are watching a movie. The characters are developed very well throughout the story, each with their positive and negative traits, nothing is pure "black or white"; it makes you identify with their dilemmas and how everyone is trying to do the right thing, but that generates multiple conflicts. There is no "good guys versus bad guys" here; just human interaction, beautifully displayed. For genuine drama lovers, this is highly recommended.

いい映画。 パッケージの解説を読まずに観ると、より楽しめます。

Jacob (Mads Mikkelsen) ist leiter eines Waisenhauses in Indien. Ein reicher Gönner aus Dänemark (Rolf Lassgard) will die Einrichtung großzügig fördern, widerwillig reist Jacob nach Skandinavien, da die Einrichtung für gut 40 Waisen von der Schließung bedroht ist. Dem kleinen Pramod, den er besonders ins Herz geschlossen hat, verspricht er die Rückkehr nach gut einer Woche rechtzeitig zu desen Geburtstag. Der Milliardär Jörgen interessiert sich auffallend wenig für das Projekt, bittet Jacob aber, als Gast an der Hochzeit seiner Tochter Anna (Stine Fischer Christensen) teilzunehmen. In deren Mutter Helene (Sidse Babett Knudsen) erkennt er seine Jugendliebe wieder, und als nach der Hochzeit die frisch vermählte Anna ein Loblied auf ihren Vater singt, der nicht ihr leiblicher sei, aber einen besseren könne sie sich nicht wünschen, kommt bei Jacob ein mehr als naheliegender Verdacht auf. Anna ist tatsächlich seine Tochter, und nach dem bisher geschilderten, das im Wesentlichen der Produktbeschreibung hier und auf dem DVD-Cover entspricht, wird man mir diesen "Spoiler" nachsehen können. Jacob bittet helene um eine Aussprache, bei der Jörgen dabei ist, und es kommt zu heftigem Streit. Jörgen bleibt bei seinem Angebot (das angeblich vorher noch nicht entschieden war), die Fördersumme in Form einer Stiftung ist allerdings an eine Bedingung geknüpft, die Jacob in ein moralisches Dilemma stürzt. Er lernt jetzt seine Tochter kennen, aber durch Jörgen fühlt er sich getäuscht und benutzt, im heftigen Streit wirft er ihm vor, ein übler Manipulator zu sein, der meint, mit seinem Reichtum alles kaufen und andere für seine Zwecke einspannen zu dürfen. Er fragt ihn nach seionen Motiven für seine Wohltat, an dem Projekt hat er ja während Jacobs Video-Demonstration in schon beleidigender Form Desinteresse gezeigt. Er bekommt von Jörgen keine Antwort, aber die bekommen wir im weiteren tragischen Verlauf des Filmes. Mit "Nach der Hochzeit" ist Susanne Bier 2006 ein großariges Liebesdrama gelungen, welches im Rennen um den Auslandsoscar dem Film "Das Leben der Anderen" unterlag. Man kann dem Film sein für nicht alle Protagonisten versöhnliches Happy End vorwerfen, für mich ist der Film, wie auf der Rückseite des DVD-Hülle behauptet, gefühlvoll, aber niemals kitschig, und das liegt neben der schlüssigen Handlung an vier außerordentlich guten Darstellern. Mads Mikkelsen mit seinen prägnanten Jochbeinen, international bekannt geworden als Bond-Gegenspieler, spielt beeindruckend den Mann der nach 20 Jahren von einer Tochter erfährt und das Angebot des Milliardärs kaum ablehnen kann, er erinnert sich an sein Versprechen an den kleinen Pramod und fühlt sich betrogen, einerseits von Helene um die Tochter, andererseits von Jörgen als Marionette. Seine Tochter Anna ist die beim Dreh 21jährige Stine Fischer Christensen, die 2001 auch die Hauptrolle in dem deutschen Film "Die Unsichtbare" großartig spielte, der nicht nur von mir hier als Meisterwerk mit einer phantastischen Schauspielerin beurteilt wurde. Sie muss hier eine fürchterliche Enttäuschung verarbeiten, nach der sie erst einmal zu ihrem leiblichen Vater flieht und indessen von Jörgen bezahlter Luxussuite übernachtet( Bang &Olufsen- Fernseher und -Musikanlage, zwei Bäder, alles vom Teuersten und Besten). Und wer möchte diese zarte, zauberhafte junge Frau, deren Lächeln Männerherzen zum Schmelzen bringen und Beschützerinstinkte wecken kann, nicht als Tochter haben? Rolf Lassgard, uns am bekanntesten sicher als Mankells Kommissar Kurt Wallander, ist ein liebevoller Vater von Zwilligsjungen und geliebter Ehemann, aber auch arrognat, wie in einer Restaurant-Szene, in der er sich völlig danebenbenimmt, und grandios ist die Szene, in der er im Beisein seiner Frau einen psychischen Zusammenbruch erleidet. Die 38jährige (Sidse Babett Knudsen) "hat sich gut gehalten" (Jörgen), sie komplettiert dass Quartett der Hauptpersonen perfekt, natürlich besonders in Szenen mit zwei Beteiligten zeigen alle Darsteller ihre Klasse. Mancher mag das Ende als zu versöhnlich empfinden, aber es ist nicht an den Haaren herbeigezogen, glaubhaft entwickelt, kein Protagonist muss um des guten Endes willen eine nicht nachvolziehbarel Änderung durchmachen, die Summe der für uns glaubhaft durchlebten positiven und negativen Gefühle und Erfahrungen der von tollen Darstellern auf der Leinwand gelebten Menschen ergibt einen Film, der uns mit einem Glücksgefühl in den Alltag entlässt Susanne Bier hat mit erlesenen Zutaten einen Premium-Genuss gebraut! Doc Halliday

After The Wedding is still another reason to see the finest actor of his generation. I saw Mikklesen in Vinterberg's film "The Hunt" recently, one of the most compelling films I have ever seen. There is no finer actor alive, and I hope he will soon start giving up the Hollywood garbage he has done to make more superb Danish films.

Mads Mikkelsen est un grand acteur, Susanne Bier que je connaissais mal s'avère une grande réalisatrice et que dire de l'excellent jeu d'acteurs danois pourtant restés inconnus à l'exception de Mads (depuis son rôle du chiffre dans James Bond). Du tout bon