In some ways this is his best. But Bænken (The Bench? Right.) just wins it. Ulrich Thomsen best part still.

"Every character trajectory is painfully schematic, and the filmmakers evoke cause-and-effect in the simplest terms possible." - Ed Gonzalez

Very harsh, very depressing, very Shakespearean. Acting: impeccable. Story: plays out more or less the way you expect it to (except for the surprising ending), but to no detriment. The film does get a bit melodramatic as it nears the end, but for the most part it stays well within the realm of plausibility and believability. Great acting tends to have that effect on movies, I've found.

Very by-the-numbers drama, clearly inspired by The Godfather. The good son, happy with gorgeous girlfriend. Dad dies, sonny is pulled back into the family business. The weight of responsibility (clumsily set up with a fired old steel worker. Aww.) turns the good son into a drinking rapist (as is customary for all men who drink), and girlfriend leaves (Aww). Son comes to terms with situation and marries mother's favourite as he surrenders to duty. No acting in the world could save this drivel.

Long time since I saw it, but I remember it as being devastating.

An excruciatingly depressing story, but one that's entirely genuine. It seems trite (and perhaps unfair) to compare other Scandinavin directors to Bergman, but it definitely has a Bergman-esque feel to it. However, I wouldn't say Fly is emulating Bergman, not at all. Just a similar sense of frustration with humanity. Fly's cinematic style is more documentarian and reserved. The actors are all superb as well.