Film Review: After the Wedding

I haven’t seen a good Danish film for a long time and this was a great change from the movies I have recently viewed. I want to say it was great but unfortunately there were too many contrived actions. However I do recommend the film on several levels. Mads Mikkelsen is a handsome brooding type that kept my attention throughout. He plays the part of Jacob. We first meet him in India. He is a dedicated worker in an orphanage in India. I loved the shots of the streets of India and the orphanage. I felt I was there. The colors and sounds were vivid. Jacob is loving and caring to all the children but gives special attention to one little boy. He will melt your heart. We learn that the orphanage is in dire need of funds. Jacob has the possibility of obtaining a large sum of money from a benefactor in Denmark but he must go there in order to obtain the funds. The film is great up until this part. When he arrives in Denmark he is invited to the wedding of the benefactor’s’ daughter. We soon learn of the previous involvement with Jacob and the wife of the benefactor. It is so terribly contrived but makes a good fictional tale. I chose to see it as a story and not worry about accepting the role of fate and contrived facts. I did believe in each character and thought that the performances were well done. The ending does take a few turns so you are interested right up to the end. This could have been a great movie. I will settle for saying I enjoyed a good film.