Adams æbler (2005)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Anders Thomas Jensen

Writer:

Anders Thomas Jensen (writer)

Release Date:

15 April 2005 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A neo-nazi sentenced to community service at a church clashes with the blindly devotional priest.

Plot Keywords:

Priest | Neo Nazi | Apple | Church | Crow

Awards:

18 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Ulrich Thomsen	...	Adam Pedersen
Mads Mikkelsen	...	Ivan
Nicolas Bro	...	Gunnar
Paprika Steen	...	Sarah Svendsen
Ali Kazim	...	Khalid
Ole Thestrup	...	Dr. Kolberg
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Holger
Gyrd Løfquist	...	Poul Nordkap
Lars Ranthe	...	Esben
Peter Reichhardt	...	Nalle
Tomas Villum Jensen	...	Arne
Peter Lambert	...	Jørgen
Solvej K. Christensen	...	Pige på tankstation
Rasmus Rise Michaelsen	...	Ung fyr på tankstation #1
Jacob-Ole Remming	...	Ung fyr på tankstation #2 (as Jacob Ole Remming)

Also Known As:

Adam's Apples (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Adams Äpfel (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and violence.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Denmark | Germany

Language:

Danish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Germany:16 | USA:R | Denmark:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

Fåborg, Fyn, Denmark

Company:

M&M Productions

Quotes:

Dr. Kolberg: Adam, this makes no sense at all. I am a man of science, I believe in numbers and charts. Goddamnit, I wanna go some place, where people die when they are sick, and don't sit in the yard eating cowboy toast when they have been shot through the head.

Movie Connections:

References The Birds (1963)

Soundtrack:

How Deep Is Your Love

A Job well done

This was a wonderful surprise at the (Cleveland) CIFF, a well-made dark comedy.

Adam is a neo-Nazi on a sort of Danish "probation for reprobates", where society's sinners are given a gradual re-introduction to public life under the guidance of Ivan, a parish minister. Adam needs to negotiate a "program" for his several weeks stay; despite his efforts at being arch and cynical Ivan takes him totally in seriousness, setting "baking an apple pie" as Adam's goal. A battle of wills ensues between Adam and Ivan, with wonderful comedic support from Gunnar (Nicolas Bro in another wonderful role) the ex-tennis player and Khalid (Ali Kazim) as a not-yet-reformed terrorist.

Everyone is coping here, but the central character is clearly Ivan (perhaps the funniest I've seen Mads Mikkelsen!). He comes across as "Pangloss" with a twist: "everything is for the best" in this world only in that the devil conspires to make everything a test of man's faith. He is completely deluded yet completely steadfast. This rational irrationality is perhaps the greatest challenge to Adam; no matter what he does Ivan retains his faith…to a point where the comedy simply takes another course.

Not to give away the delight of this comedy's surprises, the characters cope with life, each other, are exasperated and exasperating, consistently inconsistent…the trials of Job are well played out in this barely disguised absurdist romp.