Lack of good storyline.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

A Major Disappointment

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Three men, a poor man, a rich man and an anything but average man, are in abominable situations, all of their own choosing, and they have to struggle to create something good out of it, no matter how insignificant and unimportant that good may seem to others. Per Fly's Danish Trilogy, begins here, with Baenken, and I found Christensen's poor alcoholic utterly convincing. Didn't recognize him. Felt every rasping draw of the astringent cigarette smoke, the throat retching gulp of every mouthful of borrowed beer and stolen liquor. His failed attempt to reestablish a relationship with his daughter, soul crushing. His battle to the death to do something, anything to redeem himself, incredibly moving, heroic. His masterful performance to some extent, overshadows the plot, the whole film. Followed by Arven, and Drapet to complete the trilogy.

I can see on the message boards, that this film does not come with English subtitles - only Danish for the hearing impaired, so foreigners don't get much help ... however, the Cinema version should have English subtitles.It is actually a great shame, because this film is not really about something special Scandinavian.Above all, it is good to see, that really good movies touching important themes can be done without a Hollywood budget.There is an old quote in Danish culture: "People say that Jeppe is drinking, but they don't say why Jeppe is drinking". This film illustrates this point very well.But the film is part of a trilogy, so maybe they make a boxed set in the future with English subtitles ... one can only hope.

The most stunishing thing about this movie is the acting of the drunk guy. Several times during the movie I pondered whether they had brought in a real drunk, or if it really was an actor? All his moves, the way i talked etc. were so real.The story as far as I recall it, is about a drunk guy on dole, with no future. Suddenly he meets a person which makes his internal flame of live rise and burst.We as spectators get a view of how it is having no future, no family and nothing to do. Its a story without any special effects or explosions (not even a telly which is thrown out of the window from the second floor explode upon impact with the sidewalk!) But still, the story is so much better than of most multi-billion dollar movies from Hollywood.

We've all of us seen them: the alcoholics wasting their lives sitting on our cities' benches. What we don't see is the drama behind the alcohol. What struck me while watching Baenken is that it is all so believable and therefore the more painful to watch. The story of this film becomes less important than the leading character's death wish. His cynical attitude towards life and suicidal drinking habits are what sticks in one's mind.Jesper Christensen is masterful in portraying the misery, the shame and hopelessness that go with alcoholism. The drinking bout in which he cries while lying wounded in his apartment is gut wrenching to watch.Not an easy film to watch but definitely worthwhile if one has the stomach for it.