IMDb RATING
6.7/10
9.7K
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Fresh out of a Danish prison, Harald bosses his old gang around, into visiting his hospitalized foster dad, who wants to see his bio son before dying. The son's in a Swedish prison. Then the... Read allFresh out of a Danish prison, Harald bosses his old gang around, into visiting his hospitalized foster dad, who wants to see his bio son before dying. The son's in a Swedish prison. Then there's a money matter - robbing a bank.Fresh out of a Danish prison, Harald bosses his old gang around, into visiting his hospitalized foster dad, who wants to see his bio son before dying. The son's in a Swedish prison. Then there's a money matter - robbing a bank.
- Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations
Dorte Daugberg
- Sygeplejerske
- (as Dorte Daugbjerg)
Anna-Britt Mathiasen
- Bank assistenter
- (as Anna Britt Mathiasen)
Kristian Wasshede
- Hotelportier
- (as Kistian Wasshede)
Josefine Bergsøe
- Charterstewardesse
- (as Josephine Bergsøe)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe prison that Harald is released from in the beginning of the movie is Vridsløselille in Albertslund, Denmark. This prison was made famous in Denmark by the film series "Olsenbanden" (The Olsen Gang), written for the screen by Henning Bahs to whom this film is dedicated. Bahs passed away in 2002 shortly before the release of this movie.
- GoofsIn car chase after the bank robbery, the police cars chasing are Ford Mondeo, but the police cars smashed are older Ford Escorts and Opel Asconas (Vauxhall)
- Crazy creditsBefore the film begins, the following can be read in Danish: Dedicated to Henning Bahs 1928 - 2002
- ConnectionsFollows In China They Eat Dogs (1999)
Featured review
Old Men in New Cars
The 1999 Danish black comedy In China They Eat Dogs brought an enjoyable gust of fresh air to the often overly serious Nordic cinema. The prequel Old Men in New Cars casts light on the characters' earlier life: Harald (Kim Bodnia) has just been released from prison and owes a large sum of money to a gangster named Ratko (Slavko Labovic) but doesn't let the debt bother him very much. After his dying father figure Munken (Jens Okking) asks Harald to locate his estranged son Ludvig (Torkel Petersson), Harald and his cook friends Martin and Peter (Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Tomas Villum Jensen) and their new inept assistant Vuk (Brian Patterson) come up with a plan to get Ludvig, a multiple murderer with a sensitive side, out of a Swedish prison. While robbing a bank, they also they also become attached to a suicidal woman Mille (Iben Hjejle) who tags along and evokes new kinds of feelings in Ludvig. Next it is time for an elaborate airplane hijacking...
The main difference to the first movie is the absence of the mild-mannered Arvid, arguably the protagonist of In China They Eat Dogs. Instead, the prequel focuses on Harald and his ever-calm attitude to whatever obstacles life drops in front of him. The semi-reluctant Martin and Peter are the same as before, providing a lot of comedy with their awkward insecurity when things get rough and bodies start piling up, not to mention the always hapless Vuk who keeps getting seriously injured as a running gag in both movies. The main charm of the humour still lies in the deadpan delivery of the gang's outrageously implausible schemes, be it a prison break by bungee cord or an airplane robbery with an ambulance.
The action scenes, while not as numerous as in Hollywood blockbusters, are well designed and both entertaining and exciting. Especially the car chase after the bank robbery deserves a special mention, rarely do we get to see such wreckage in any normal Nordic thriller. The actors also do a good job; especially Kaas and Jensen are great as the manipulatable henchmen of the menacing Kim Bodnia, but Iben Hjejle is a joy to watch as well. Even though the absence of Arvid seems disappointing at first, it soon becomes obvious that Torkel Petersson's Ludvig is more than enough to replace him – Ludvig's homicidal tendencies mix with his caring side rather hilariously.
The familiar absurd undercurrent is still strong and the humour and action are in good balance, so those who enjoyed In China They Eat Dogs have no reason to miss out Old Men in New Cars. In the first movie there was a serious theme under the surface, namely a mild-mannered man's desire to be true to himself, and while the prequel feels a bit more straightforward, it also presents a dramatic story about familial love. In any case, both films belong among the best Danish films I have seen in a good while.
The main difference to the first movie is the absence of the mild-mannered Arvid, arguably the protagonist of In China They Eat Dogs. Instead, the prequel focuses on Harald and his ever-calm attitude to whatever obstacles life drops in front of him. The semi-reluctant Martin and Peter are the same as before, providing a lot of comedy with their awkward insecurity when things get rough and bodies start piling up, not to mention the always hapless Vuk who keeps getting seriously injured as a running gag in both movies. The main charm of the humour still lies in the deadpan delivery of the gang's outrageously implausible schemes, be it a prison break by bungee cord or an airplane robbery with an ambulance.
The action scenes, while not as numerous as in Hollywood blockbusters, are well designed and both entertaining and exciting. Especially the car chase after the bank robbery deserves a special mention, rarely do we get to see such wreckage in any normal Nordic thriller. The actors also do a good job; especially Kaas and Jensen are great as the manipulatable henchmen of the menacing Kim Bodnia, but Iben Hjejle is a joy to watch as well. Even though the absence of Arvid seems disappointing at first, it soon becomes obvious that Torkel Petersson's Ludvig is more than enough to replace him – Ludvig's homicidal tendencies mix with his caring side rather hilariously.
The familiar absurd undercurrent is still strong and the humour and action are in good balance, so those who enjoyed In China They Eat Dogs have no reason to miss out Old Men in New Cars. In the first movie there was a serious theme under the surface, namely a mild-mannered man's desire to be true to himself, and while the prequel feels a bit more straightforward, it also presents a dramatic story about familial love. In any case, both films belong among the best Danish films I have seen in a good while.
helpful•73
- random_avenger
- Sep 20, 2010
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Old Men in New Cars: In China They Eat Dogs II
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $144,192
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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By what name was Gamle mænd i nye biler (2002) officially released in Canada in English?
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