My review of In a Better World (winner of the 2011 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film) by Danish director Susanne Bier is now up at Capital New York.
It opens today in New York and Los Angeles.
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I hope to see this when possible. I’ve seen all of Bier’s work from the uncredited turn in Open Hearts on. You mention of the melodramatic elements brings to mind something Bier had said about how her films are considered mainstream in Europe, but are art house fare in the U.S., which is, of course, due to language.
Peter – Yes, I find her to be quite mainstream, and very very commercial (to me that is a compliment – at least in her case). She is not at all obscure, and focused primarily on story/character. The actors, too, are just wonderful – these two little kids are fantastic but everyone is good.
Let me know what you think when you see it!