In a Better World

A compelling drama in which the painful stories of their families intersect through the friendship of two boys. I like Susanne Bier's work very much and she didn't disappoint me with this film either. In a Better World deals with eternal themes such as guilt and forgiveness, whether to respond to violence and bullying in the same way or to rise above it and accept the blow that life deals us... The events surrounding the teenage boys in Denmark are interspersed with events related to a war conflict somewhere in Africa, where the father of one of the boys travels as a doctor to rescue victims of the brutal clashes. Here also arises the inevitable question of whether to heal every wounded person or to leave those who commit great atrocities to their fate. An important part of the film is also the excellently chosen musical accompaniment, which further intensifies the tension of some situations and highlights emotions elsewhere. (04/07/2020)

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)

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)