Review of The Green Butchers (2003) by Alicia C — 03 Jul 2007

Bacon isn't the only thing being served over the counter in this delicious Danish film and rarely do black comedies display such charm.

Tired of being bossed by their boss, the seemingly permanently stoned Bjarne and socially inept Svend (Mads Mikkelsen, recently seen as Le Chiffre in Casino Royale) set up their own butcher shop. Although Svend is greatly confident his special marinade will bring the customers flocking, the early omens aren't good... and get worse when he accidentally locks an electrician in the deep freeze overnight. In a panic, Svend manages to dispose the dead body and make a profit at the same time - causing the Green Butchers to become an overnight sensation.

For the first time in his life, Svend is a success and he'll do anything to keep it that way; will Bjarne manage to restrain his partner's ambitions, keep them out of jail and manage to find love again? This simple set of affairs becomes a little more complicated when Eigil, his brother awakes from a coma...

In less skilled hands, this film would rely on shock, gore and dubious taste, instead writer/director Anders Thomas Jensen (who penned Wilbur Wants To Kill Himself) thankfully opted for a more gentle, character-based approach. With confident directing, superb acting and a script that glistens with wit and tension, who could resist this filmic feast?