Review of After the Wedding (2006) by Petri R — 04 Apr 2008

After the Wedding is an emotionally complex film about family and loyalty. I wasn't sure what to expect before watching it. It won the Best Foreign Film Oscar in 2007 so I guess I assumed it would be good. But I was floored with how enveloped I became in the story. There is so much emotion throughout the film, but it was NEVER overly melodramatic, which is surprising because there is at least one person crying in every other scene. The one word to best describe the film is realistic. The subject matter is heavy, but its all portrayed in such a way that it seems like its happening in the room next to you. It's the way this film is shot, and acted that contributes to this strength. Mads Mikkelsen and the rest of the cast are absolutely amazing. It's some of the best acting I've seen in a while. Director Susanne Bier does a remarkable job. Her directing is very evident in that you can't see it, sheâ??s made it so natural that you feel youâ??re watching real life take place. She uses extreme closeups and quick cuts to get the emotion across. This technique works very well, and its like nothing Iâ??ve ever seen before. This film as whole was just flawless. It's destined to be a classic and its now one of my favorite films.

The best parts of this film come from the extremely emotional moments, particularly Jorgen's breakdown at the end. It's just amazing, and the way Bier captures it all is perfect.