I recently purchased OPEN HEARTS, having enjoyed immensely Susanne Bier's AFTER THE WEDDING. I realized it was a dogme film and was looking forward to seeing the great MADS MIKKELSEN in digital format. Watching the story unfold was both harrowing and exhilarating. The emotional roller coaster Bier takes you through in this film touches on so many corners of human emotion that I'm left really in admiration of how well she understands human nature. And I also must not forget writer Anders Thomas Jensen, who as a writer, can go to so many places ..not only in human dramas such as this and AFTER THE WEDDING, but vicious, wicked comedies like FLICKERING LIGHTS, and ADAM'S APPLES (both also with MADS MIKKELSEN)
The writing was superb, the acting from all parties exceptional. I must say the two characters that really left an impression were Nikolaj Lie Kaas' Joachim, who is so vile during the middle portion of the film, but sympathetic at the same time, and he earned that moment of grace at the end....and also Paprika Steen's Marie, who has a tough role straddling her anger and her need for forgivness from Cecilia. In a scene where you expect Marie will curse Cecilia out, she speaks softly and tells Cecilia she understands. She is also walking this same line with her husband Niels. In a scene where she yells at Niels to get out of the house...She yells the same lines Joachim yells to Cecilia at the hospital, telling her to stay away.....neither character means what they say. It's very interesting that these two scenes would marry each other. I was really impressed with the emotional complexity of all the characters and the hints the director gives us as to a possible outcome....which if life goes accordingly...chance might also undo.
The writing was superb, the acting from all parties exceptional. I must say the two characters that really left an impression were Nikolaj Lie Kaas' Joachim, who is so vile during the middle portion of the film, but sympathetic at the same time, and he earned that moment of grace at the end....and also Paprika Steen's Marie, who has a tough role straddling her anger and her need for forgivness from Cecilia. In a scene where you expect Marie will curse Cecilia out, she speaks softly and tells Cecilia she understands. She is also walking this same line with her husband Niels. In a scene where she yells at Niels to get out of the house...She yells the same lines Joachim yells to Cecilia at the hospital, telling her to stay away.....neither character means what they say. It's very interesting that these two scenes would marry each other. I was really impressed with the emotional complexity of all the characters and the hints the director gives us as to a possible outcome....which if life goes accordingly...chance might also undo.