Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Ulrich Thomsen | ... | Christian | |
Henning Moritzen | ... | Faderen - Helge Klingenfeld | |
Thomas Bo Larsen | ... | Michael | |
Paprika Steen | ... | Helene | |
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Birthe Neumann | ... | Moderen - Else Klingenfeld |
Trine Dyrholm | ... | Pia | |
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Helle Dolleris | ... | Mette |
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Therese Glahn | ... | Michelle |
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Klaus Bondam | ... | Toastmasteren - Master of Ceremonies |
Bjarne Henriksen | ... | Kokken - Kim | |
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Gbatokai Dakinah | ... | Gbatokai |
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Lasse Lunderskov | ... | Onklen - Uncle |
Lars Brygmann | ... | Receptionisten - Receptionist | |
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Lene Laub Oksen | ... | Søsteren - Sister |
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Linda Laursen | ... | Birthe |
The Father turns 60. His family, which is a big one of the kind, gathers to celebrate him on a castle. Everybody likes and respects the father deeply...or do they? The youngest son is trying to live up to the father's expectations. He is running a grill-bar in a dirty part of Copenhagen. The oldest son runs a restaurant in France, while the sister is a anthropologist. The older sister has recently committed suicide and the father asks the oldest son to say a few words about her, because he is afraid he will break into tears if he does it himself. The oldest son agrees without argument. Actually he has already written two speeches. A yellow and a green one. By the table, he asks the father to pick a speech. The father chooses green. The oldest son announces that this is the Speech of Truth. Everybody laughs, except for the father who gets a nervous look on his face. For he knows that the oldest son is about to reveal the secret of why the oldest sister killed herself. Written by Jonas L.
This surprise success based on an uncomfortable subject has become an essential reference adapted for theater in many countries. The film immediately gives the impression of having been filmed with a dysfunctional iPhone of the 70s suffering from a perfectible autofocus. This is certainly the expression of Dogme 95, a manifesto of a strong desire of the directors Thomas Vinterberg and Lars von Trier to move away from a cinematographic world they consider too licked, too clean, too artificial, returning to a sobriety more expressive, more original, more formal, with an excessive despoilment of any aesthetic ambition. This impression will last until the last minute. After this rather negative observation, the film is excellent: between the dialogues, the acting and the unfolding of the story, it keeps you out of breath and you will wait for the epilogue with an unbearable impatience. A must see!