Review of After the Wedding (2006) by Jennifer A — 25 Feb 2010

Where soap opera and high art collide.

After The Wedding (2007) - 8.3/10.

Director - Susanne Bier.

Cast - Mads Mikkelsen, Rolf Lassgard, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Stine Fischer Christensen, Christian Tafdrup, Neeral Mulchandani.

Jacob (Mads Mikkelsen) runs an orphanage in India. It's his life's work and he struggles to keep it open. He travels back to his native soul of Denmark in order to raise funds, meeting with wealthy Danish businessman Jorgen (Rolf Lassgard). Jorgen seems willing to help but he first insists that Jacob attends the wedding of his daughter Anna (Stine Fischer Christensen). At the wedding Jacob recognizes Jorgen's wife Helene (Sidse Babett Knudsen), a woman he once had a relationship with as a young man. It turns out Anna is actually the daughter of Jacob and Helene. Jacob is forced to deal with these revelations all while convincing Jorgen to donate money to his orphanage in India.

"After The Wedding" is heavy with melodrama. It's an odd film where soap opera and high art collide in the best possibly way. While parts of the story may feel contrived; it's the raw emotion and realness of the characters that makes this such a believable and compelling drama. Ultimately it's a story about choices, compromises, sacrifice, discovery and redisovery. Each character is multi-dimensional. Each is faced with a dilemma. Each must confront their own past in order to move forward. So while the basic story may seem like a soap opera, it's layered in such a way that is very revealing.

Susanne Bier does an excellent job conveying emotion and moving the story along. While there are certainly many outwardly dramatic sequences, she also does a fine job with the subtle scenes. Quiet revealing moments. Closeups of an eye, a hand. Capturing the right body language or facial expression. Sidse Babett Knudsen especially does a great job of acting without speaking. In fact all of the four main actors are absolutely terrific. This story could have easily crumbled without them.

Overall a very good film.