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Idioterne
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Idioterne (1998) More at IMDbPro »

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Idioterne (1998) -- The group of people gather at the house in Copenhagen suburb to break all the limitations and to bring out the "inner idiot" in themselves.

Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   10,330 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 11% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writer:
Lars von Trier (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Idiots on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 May 1998 (Belgium) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Society is the mother of all Idiots more
Plot:
The group of people gather at the house in Copenhagen suburb to break all the limitations and to bring out the "inner idiot" in themselves. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
5 wins & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Decade in Review: 2000 Top Ten
 (From FilmExperience. 5 November 2009, 1:07 PM, PST)

Lars von Trier is "The Best Director in the World"
 (From Tribeca Film. 20 October 2009, 5:00 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
It takes a Dane more (122 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Bodil Jørgensen ... Karen
Jens Albinus ... Stoffer
Anne Louise Hassing ... Susanne
Troels Lyby ... Henrik

Nikolaj Lie Kaas ... Jeppe
Louise Mieritz ... Josephine
Henrik Prip ... Ped
Luis Mesonero ... Miguel
Knud Romer Jørgensen ... Axel
Trine Michelsen ... Nana
Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis ... Katrine

Paprika Steen ... High Class Lady
Erik Wedersøe ... Stoffer's Uncle
Michael Moritzen ... Man From Municipality

Anders Hove ... Josephine's Father
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Dogma 2: 'The Idiots' (International: English title) (complete title)
Dogma 95 - Idioterne
Dogme # 2 - Idioterne (Denmark) (series title)
Dogme 2 (Denmark)
Idioterna (Sweden)
Idioti (Italy)
Les idiots (France)
The Idiots (International: English title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong sexuality and nudity, and for language.
Runtime:
117 min | South Korea:110 min (cut)
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The second film in Lars von Trier's "Golden Heart" trilogy in which the heroines remain naïve despite their actions. The two other parts are Breaking the Waves (1996) and Dancer in the Dark (2000). more
Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: This is a film that adheres to the 'Dogme 95' manifesto, so the usual goof rules do not necessarily apply. This includes shots of the crew, microphones and other equipment, as well as continuity errors. more
Quotes:
[Susanne puts a "spastic" Ped behind the van's steering wheel]
Guide at Factory: Who... is he driving?
Susanne: Responsibility does them good.
[Ped drives off recklessly]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Muchachada nui: (#1.10)" (2007) more
Soundtrack:
Vi Er Dem De Andre Ikke Må lege Med more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
19 out of 25 people found the following review useful.
It takes a Dane, 27 April 2002
Author: ekkir from Denmark

As a Dane it may be easier to see where Lars Von Trier is coming from with this social criticism (satire of social criticism!) movie.

First of all he comes from a country that prides itself in two traditions:

1. a state that takes care of and cares for everyone

2. a country that has a long tradition of social-criticism in literature and movies

For more than ten years it seemed that every big film project in Denmark had a social agenda...That was probably the only way to get financial support for your film project - which was most of the time, if not all of the time - supplied by the state.

This film is poking fun - primarily - at this social criticism tradition, while it also renews it.

But how much should we take seriously - Lars Von Trier would probably laugh at anyone, who takes this movie at face value - as a bona fide social criticism (which it is not!) and - of course - it fails as traditional "social criticism", just look at it - this is not a film like Pelle the Conquerer, there are no drunken, heavy-set men seducing their underage nieces and abusing the working man sadistically.

In short this movie wasn't meant to succeed in the genre in a traditional sense.

It has a more profound agenda - I have a hard time putting words to it, because what the movie says is so very Danish. Certain scenes are simply great: When they visit the factory and "the idiots" are allowed to turn the machines on and off...I can't explain why that is so intensely funny, but I'm pretty sure it's a Danish thing.

This film is funny, sad, sentimental, wonderfully-acted... It comments on a social-democratic tradition and state that embraces you for better and for worse...It also talks about capitalism in this system...Maybe it's really all about the compromise inherent in a social-democratic tradition existing parallel with a capitalist system. Such a compromise could be viewed as hypocrisy from a philosophical standpoint.

Central to this movie is the theme of honesty and sincerity...And all the while you don't want to take it too seriously, because you have a feeling that the director isn't all that serious about it himself...

In short I find the movie and it's intention irresistibly confusing.

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