Open Hearts (2002)
"Elsker dig for evigt" (original title)

A Dogme film about an engaged couple that is torn apart after the man is paralyzed in an accident, and the woman falls in love with the husband of the woman who caused the accident.

Director:

Susanne Bier

Writer:

Anders Thomas Jensen

Stars:

Mads Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter, Nikolaj Lie Kaas

12 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mads Mikkelsen	...	Niels
Sonja Richter	...	Cæcilie Pagh
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Joachim
Paprika Steen	...	Marie
Stine Bjerregaard	...	Stine
Birthe Neumann	...	Hanne
Niels Olsen	...	Finn
Ulf Pilgaard	...	Thomsen
Ronnie Lorenzen	...	Gustav (as Ronnie Hiort Lorenzen)
Pelle Bang Sørensen	...	Emil
Anders Nyborg	...	Robert
Ida Dwinger	...	Sanne
Philip Zandén	...	Tommy
Michel Castenholt	...	Furniture Store Assistant
Birgitte Prins	...	A&E Doctor

Storyline

Cecilie is devastated when her fiancée Joachim is seriously injured in a car accident and is paralyzed from the neck down. Marie was the driver that caused the accident and she ask her husband Niels, a doctor at the hospital where Joachim is being treated, to help out Cecilie. However their relationship evolves in an affair which threatens Niels family.

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Plot Keywords:

doctor | hospital | car accident | love | birthday | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexuality

Details

Country:

Denmark

Language:

Danish

Release Date:

6 September 2002 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Open Hearts

Filming Locations:

Fiskedamsgade 16, Copenhagen, Denmark

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$14,224 (USA) (21 February 2003)

Gross:

$122,308 (USA) (28 March 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Det Danske Filminstitut, Zentropa Entertainments

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paprika Steen's slap to Mads Mikkelsen was not scripted and was improvised on the spot.

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Crazy Credits

The credits are stamped on the screen in thermal photography.

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Connections

Featured in Go' aften Danmark: Episode dated 5 September 2002 (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Open Your Heart"
Written by Jesper Winge Leisner, Niels Brinck, Anggun
Performed by Anggun

User Reviews

Open Hearts is devoid of superficial movie cliches

Halfway through Open Hearts, it becomes more obvious that you're watching a fictional account. The plot becomes slightly predictable, which is a good thing. For the most part, this new Danish film feels like a reality documentary and pulls you in like reality itself. Director Susanne Bier follows the technical requirements to earn a Dogme 95 certification, which means the film has to be devoid of any unnatural camera movement, lighting and sound among other rules. As a result, Open Hearts is also devoid of superficial movie cliches and full of heartfelt human situations.

The film follows a young, newly?engaged couple and a married couple with kids, whose lives are interrupted and complicated by a road accident. Bier stays clear of the external effects of the drama and instead focuses on the characters' inner effects. Her protagonists lose emotional control and appear ill?equipped to handle the consequences of an unexpected tragedy. The film's appeal is not only universal, but timely as well, shattering the modern belief that everything is controllable. Once tragedy strikes, our lives seem far more fragile than we thought.

Stephan Paschalides