| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Björk | ... | ||
| Catherine Deneuve | ... | ||
| David Morse | ... | ||
| Peter Stormare | ... | ||
| Joel Grey | ... | ||
| Cara Seymour | ... |
Linda Houston
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Vladica Kostic | ... | |
| Jean-Marc Barr | ... | ||
| Vincent Paterson | ... |
Samuel
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| Siobhan Fallon Hogan | ... |
Brenda
(as Siobhan Fallon)
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| Zeljko Ivanek | ... | ||
| Udo Kier | ... |
Dr. Porkorny
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| Jens Albinus | ... |
Morty
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Reathel Bean | ... |
Judge
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Mette Berggreen | ... |
Receptionist
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1964 in small town Washington state. Selma Jezková, a Czechoslovakian immigrant, and her preteen son Gene live in a rented trailer owned by and on the property of married Bill and Linda Houston, he the town sheriff. Beyond Bill and Linda, Selma has a small group of friends who look out for her, including her primary confidante, Kathy, with who she works, and Jeff who wants to be her boyfriend. Jeff regularly waits outside Selma's workplace long before the end of her shift to drive her home, despite she always refusing in not wanting to lead him on. Her primary job is working on the Anderson Tool factory assembly line, but she does whatever she can to earn money. What only Kathy knows among Selma's friends is that she is slowly going blind, her medical condition being genetic. Selma is barely able to see, just enough to do her job. Her primary reason for moving to the US and for working all the time is to earn enough money for an operation for Gene when he turns thirteen, he who ... Written by Huggo
When I was driving to see this movie, I wondered how I was going to react to the film. Lars Von Trier had always been one of my favorite directors, but I was unsure if I was going to enjoy this film. After watching the film, I half to say that this was one of the best films I had ever seen. Lars von Trier used handheld cinematography perfectly and I was especially impressed by how he operated the camera himself. Also the way he used lighting and still cameras in the music sequences expressed the surreal daydreams of Selma.
Selma, played by Bjork, is a strong willed yet kind character who is hit by a series of bad events. Bjork plays this role so convincingly it is almost uncomfortable to watch. She doesnt act more than emote the character.
With Lars Von Trier directing and great acting, this is far and away the best film of the year. Its unfortunate that America didn't give the recognition the film deserved.