Brothers (2004)

Two brothers must negotiate changing roles and shifting family dynamics when one is sent to war in Afghanistan.

Director:

Susanne Bier

Writers:

Susanne Bier (story), Anders Thomas Jensen (story)

Stars:

Ulrich Thomsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Connie Nielsen

13 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Connie Nielsen	...	Sarah
Ulrich Thomsen	...	Michael
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Jannik
Sarah Juel Werner	...	Natalia
Rebecca Løgstrup	...	Camilla (as Rebecca Løgstrup Soltau)
Bent Mejding	...	Henning
Solbjørg Højfeldt	...	Else
Niels Olsen	...	Allentoft
Paw Henriksen	...	Niels Peter
Lars Hjortshøj	...	Preben 2
Lars Ranthe	...	Preben 1
André Babikian	...	Nadeem
Lene Maria Christensen	...	J. Solvej
Laura Bro	...	Ditte
Henrik Koefoed	...	Bartender

Storyline

Michael has everything under control: a successful military career, a beautiful wife and two daughters. His younger brother Jannik is a drifter, living on the edge of the law. When Michael is sent to Afghanistan on a UN mission the balance between the two brothers changes forever. Michael is missing in action - presumed dead - and Sarah is comforted by Jannik, who against all odds shows himself capable of taking responsibility for both himself and the family. It soon becomes clear that their feelings have developed beyond mutual sympathy. When Michael comes home, traumatized by being held prisoner in the mountains of Afghanistan, nothing is the same...

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Plot Keywords:

afghanistan | prisoner | husband wife relationship | mental breakdown | gun | 

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Taglines:

A Sundance 2005 Audience Award Winner

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and brief nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Susanne Bier thought Connie Nielsen's accent was more Swedish than Danish and made her take Danish lesson. Nielsen has been living in the USA for many years, and didn't speak Danish in her everyday life, but the result of the lessons turned out to be pretty good (though, still with a little accent).

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Goofs

During the argument in the girls' room before the funeral, the time on the alarm clock in the background jumps ahead by several minutes between shots.

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Quotes

Michael: I will always love you. That is the only truth that remains. Life is neither right nor wrong, good or bad. But I love you. That's all I know.

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Connections

Referenced in Natholdet - med Anders Breinholt: Nikolaj Lie Kaas (2012)

User Reviews

Fascinating Well Played and Well Cut Drama

The movie is filmed mostly with hand held camera, and the technical quality is not the best. I am normally not a fan of these so called "Dogme" movies, but it gives the opportunity to tell a story with a small budget and without having to waste time on special effects and so on. And what a movie. The actors play so intense and fascinatingly well, that I often sat on the edge of the seat, had "goose bumps"(gaasehud), wept like whipped(graed som pisket). The cutting is also very special and interesting. For instance a scene, where representatives of the military arrives to tell Sarah, that her husband is missing, it is cut right before they tell her the bad news. It gives a good effect. I would also like to welcome Connie Nielsen to the staff of fantastic Danish actors(her first danish movie) and will look forward to possibly/eventually watch/experience her great magic i a Danish movie again. I must write her a fan letter(my first).

Details

Official Sites:

IFC Films Official Site [Denmark]

Country:

Denmark UK Sweden Norway

Language:

Danish

Release Date:

27 August 2004 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Brothers

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,161, 8 May 2005

Gross USA:

$389,220

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$489,706

Company Credits

Production Co:

Two Brothers Ltd., Fjellape Film AS, Memfis Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1