Adam's Apples (2005)

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

Director:

Anders Thomas Jensen

Writer:

Anders Thomas Jensen

Stars:

Ulrich Thomsen, Mads Mikkelsen, Nicolas Bro

20 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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	...	Ung fyr på tankstation #1 (as Rasmus Rise Michaelsen)
Jacob-Ole Remming	...	Ung fyr på tankstation #2 (as Jacob Ole Remming)

Storyline

Ivan is a priest in a rural church known for the apples that grow on a large tree in front. He's odd: seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, in denial about personal facts, and convinced he's at war with Satan. The rectory is a half-way house for recently paroled convicts. Adam arrives for 12 weeks, a large, tough neo-Nazi, first baffled by Ivan's thick-headed optimism, then angry. He vows to break Ivan's faith. Meanwhile, in exasperation at Ivan's insistence, Adam sets a personal goal: to bake an apple pie. All goes awry for the tree: crows, worms, lightening. The Book of Job gives Adam perverse insight, and his hooligan mates provide the resolution's spring.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | neo nazi | church | rectory | faith | 

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Taglines:

Én ulykke kommer sjældent alene [Scandinavian saying equivalent of: When it rains, it pours]

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the making of-featurette on the DVD, the scene with the crows eating apples was planned to be computer-generated, until a few Czechs showed up with four boxes of real life trained crows, and in the end everything worked out fine for a minimum of cost.

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Quotes

[Esben, Holger and Jørgen approach Adam and Khalid]
Esben: [to Adam] What the hell are you doing?
Adam Pedersen: Picking apples.
Esben: With a sand-nigger?
Holger: What happened?
Adam Pedersen: It was a lightning. It knocked down the tree.
Esben: What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to make us look bad?
Jørgen: What do you mean?
Esben: You're running around talking about apple pie and climbing trees with a nigger. Are you an idiot?
Adam Pedersen: Listen, Esben. I think you should get out of here.
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Christmas Cruelty! (2013)

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Soundtracks

How Deep Is Your Love
Written by Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb (as Gibb/Gibb/Gibb)
Performed by Take That
© BMG Music Publishing / Warner/Chappell Music Scand. AB

User Reviews

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.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Japan]

Country:

Denmark Germany

Language:

Danish

Release Date:

15 April 2005 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Adam's Apples

Filming Locations:

Fåborg, Fyn, Denmark

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,305, 18 March 2007

Gross USA:

$1,305

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,421,577

Company Credits

Production Co:

M&M Productions, August Film & TV GmbH, Danmarks Radio (DR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1