Jeanette Nordahl’s “Beginnings” opens with the fallout between a couple. Ane (Trine Dyrholm) and Thomas’ (David Dencik) marriage has run into a stalemate. Thomas is dating a colleague, Stine. The couple going through the rift haven’t discussed with their daughters, Clara and Marie, his moving out yet. Thomas and Stine are working on having a place of their own.

A professor, Ane’s life is ruptured when she has a stroke at home. There’s a blood clot in her brain, leaving the left side of her body paralyzed. Ashen, she processes information that she will never get back to complete normalcy. But she learns not to lose her mettle though the immediate devastation demands much from her. She has to gather her shattered self and proceed, unbent.

Shouldering it all is Trine Dyrholm in a commanding, flawed, and desperately, visceral human performance. We see Ane’s mounting exasperation,...