Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Lone Scherfig

Writers:

Lone Scherfig (written by) &
Anders Thomas Jensen (written by)

Release Date:

8 November 2002 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The life he wanted to end, was just about to begin

Plot:

The good-hearted Harbour has spent his whole life trying to take care of his motherless and suicidal little brother...

Plot Keywords:

Brother | Hospital | Love | Bookstore | Cancer

Awards:

11 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Jamie Sives	...	Wilbur
Adrian Rawlins	...	Harbour
Shirley Henderson	...	Alice
Lisa McKinlay	...	Mary
Mads Mikkelsen	...	Horst
Julia Davis	...	Moira
Susan Vidler	...	Sophie
Robert McIntosh	...	Taylor
Lorraine McIntosh	...	Ruby
Gordon Brown	...	Wayne
Mhairi Steenbock	...	Claire
Andrew Townsley	...	Doctor
Coral Preston	...	Jenny
Colin McAllister	...	Male Supervisor
Owen Gorman	...	Porter

Also Known As:

Wilbur (France) (Sweden)
Wilbur begår selvmord (Denmark)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some disturbing images.

Runtime:

111 min | Denmark:105 min | USA:109 min | Argentina:105 min

Country:

Denmark | UK | Sweden | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Spain:13 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:MG6 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:14A

Filming Locations:

Filmbyen, Avedøre, Sjælland, Denmark

Company:

Zentropa Entertainments

Trivia:

One of a more or less succesfull series of foreign language film made by Danish filmmakers using Danish money, after the success of Danish language films around the world. Others include "Breaking the Waves", "Dancer in the Dark", "It's All About Love", "I'm Dina", "Dogville", "Skagerrak" and "The King Is Alive".

Quotes:

Wilbur: Horst. Is that German for "sausage"?
Horst: No. But it's close.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Det store lærred: Wilbur begår selvmord (2002) (TV)

A BIG 10! -quirky,lovely,just delightful

i think sense of humor is just SUCH an individual thing. perhaps the more subtle the comedic approach, the more difficult to identify and align with. I myself found this film totally engaging, amusing and lovely. i did not know, at the time of viewing, that the director had made 3 or 4 other of my favorite films, On Our Own and Italian for Beginners being the most recent. The story itself is small but it's the screenplay and that quirky funny pervading sense of humor, that IS the film. two handsome, intelligent,gentle, interesting brothers have a deep love for each other. one is the older and responsible one, who runs the inherited family used book shop. the younger one makes a career out of trying to kill himself. a sweet sad woman- with- daughter comes into their lives and the shag rug becomes a tapestry. all the acting is spot-on. the TERRIFIC screenwriters (the director being one of the two)had me caring about all of the characters. the silences, as much as the dialogue, are perfectly carried off and i really didn't feel there was a false out-of-place moment in the entire film. i saw the film last night (thank heavens for good public-library film-buyers)and the characters are in my mind today.i've a delighted smile on my face. a big 10 for me.