I remember an Empire review of "It's All about Love" that asked, if it was actually a film, we were not ready for? Well if it is, the same thing can be said about "Reconstruction". Following the trend of Nicolas Winding Refns (superior) "Fear X", and before mentioned Thomas Winterberg flop, Danish directors have discovered David Lynch.
This movie is co-written by film academy teacher Mogens Rukov (Also responsible for writing "It's All about Love"), and you can't help wondering if that's "what's in fashion" when it comes to the director/producer line of that particular education, these years.
Perhaps I should summarize the movie, but fact is that I didn't really get it. That's not really the problem. (Well it is for me, obviously! I'm the dumb one!). The problem is that I did not really care. You know those movies you see five times, that just seem to have that "HUH?!"-factor, making you want to see them again and again (Pink Floyd - The Wall, 2001: A Space Odessey... anything Ken Russell.. etc)? Well this doesn't.
Lacking the visual style (and more importantly) the quirky characters of David Lynch, this film remains cold and empty.
For all it's weirdness, at the heart of it you'll find a boring love-triangle, between a writers wife and a young 30s something, who in the process of choosing between the wife and his girlfriend, deconstructing his life, isolating himself from his life, family, friends and so on and so forth. It's all very surreal, but to tell you the truth, who really cares about beautiful young people, playing Eenie, Meenie, Mini, Moe with other peoples feelings. It may be modern, like it's surrealistic structure, but engaging it ain't.
... Come to think of it, you know what this is? It's probably one of those "We've gotten lost in society and we cannot communicate with others or find our way" kinda movies. If you're into that, may I recommend "BLEEDER" by Nicolas Winding Refn? It's not as high on it's own "If you thought you've seen weird movies, then forget what you know or think you know!!!!!!!!!!"-script, but it has better cinematography, it actually cares about the subject and Nicolas Winding Refn dedicated the movie to his mom! (That's a 10 on the Aww-o-meter, folks!).
For everyone not Danish - the review ends here. The next bit is an internal memo to my countrymen. Thank you for reading! Dear Danes. Two things for your consideration:
1.
I know that Danish films doesn't have a lot of money to spend on production. But try on the hypnotic "SULT" (Henning Carlsen) or the very serious "At Kende Sandheden" (Nils Malmros)... It IS possible to film more than just Grey corridors, and close-ups in dark-white bars! It can be done! I know that Denmark is probably THE depression capital of the world (Personified in Bille August), but we also have Trier and Refn. People who at least TRY to visualize their stories (Yes, also Trier, even though he cares by not caring). We can do this! We can! We just need to be not quite so lazy! And that goes for you as well Per Fly!
2.
Dear Mogens Rukov. You have done enough for us, by educating some of the bright minds of the Danish movie industry. There is no need to write new movies as well. And should you feel like writing more of these types of movies, please wait - wait till the world IS ready.
This movie is co-written by film academy teacher Mogens Rukov (Also responsible for writing "It's All about Love"), and you can't help wondering if that's "what's in fashion" when it comes to the director/producer line of that particular education, these years.
Perhaps I should summarize the movie, but fact is that I didn't really get it. That's not really the problem. (Well it is for me, obviously! I'm the dumb one!). The problem is that I did not really care. You know those movies you see five times, that just seem to have that "HUH?!"-factor, making you want to see them again and again (Pink Floyd - The Wall, 2001: A Space Odessey... anything Ken Russell.. etc)? Well this doesn't.
Lacking the visual style (and more importantly) the quirky characters of David Lynch, this film remains cold and empty.
For all it's weirdness, at the heart of it you'll find a boring love-triangle, between a writers wife and a young 30s something, who in the process of choosing between the wife and his girlfriend, deconstructing his life, isolating himself from his life, family, friends and so on and so forth. It's all very surreal, but to tell you the truth, who really cares about beautiful young people, playing Eenie, Meenie, Mini, Moe with other peoples feelings. It may be modern, like it's surrealistic structure, but engaging it ain't.
... Come to think of it, you know what this is? It's probably one of those "We've gotten lost in society and we cannot communicate with others or find our way" kinda movies. If you're into that, may I recommend "BLEEDER" by Nicolas Winding Refn? It's not as high on it's own "If you thought you've seen weird movies, then forget what you know or think you know!!!!!!!!!!"-script, but it has better cinematography, it actually cares about the subject and Nicolas Winding Refn dedicated the movie to his mom! (That's a 10 on the Aww-o-meter, folks!).
For everyone not Danish - the review ends here. The next bit is an internal memo to my countrymen. Thank you for reading! Dear Danes. Two things for your consideration:
1.
I know that Danish films doesn't have a lot of money to spend on production. But try on the hypnotic "SULT" (Henning Carlsen) or the very serious "At Kende Sandheden" (Nils Malmros)... It IS possible to film more than just Grey corridors, and close-ups in dark-white bars! It can be done! I know that Denmark is probably THE depression capital of the world (Personified in Bille August), but we also have Trier and Refn. People who at least TRY to visualize their stories (Yes, also Trier, even though he cares by not caring). We can do this! We can! We just need to be not quite so lazy! And that goes for you as well Per Fly!
2.
Dear Mogens Rukov. You have done enough for us, by educating some of the bright minds of the Danish movie industry. There is no need to write new movies as well. And should you feel like writing more of these types of movies, please wait - wait till the world IS ready.