Featured Audience Ratings

• Luke B

  
  Susanne Bier is one of the greatest directors ever. Simple as that. Her films deal with issues, but always with a fresh perspective. In A Better World has a young boy called Christian who has just lost his mother, return to Denmark. He joins a new school where he soon makes friends… More
  Susanne Bier is one of the greatest directors ever. Simple as that. Her films deal with issues, but always with a fresh perspective. In A Better World has a young boy called Christian who has just lost his mother, return to Denmark. He joins a new school where he soon makes friends with a boy who is being bullied. Christian allows his anger to take hold, and events soon spiral out of control. The theme of bullying may seem like something best saved for after school specials, but Bier shows bullying in all its forms, from the playground, to grown ups, to African warlords. Questioning anger, revenge, and human rights, makes this a multi-layered film which is just begging for discussion. The performances are magnificent across the board and each character has a very well structured arc. With so much going on it would be easy for the film to trip over itself, but it never does. Touching, inspirational, and quite possibly life changing. In A Better World could honestly make the world a better place.

• Bruce B

  
  A awesome film about a doctor who lives in Denmark but spends most of his life in Africa at a refugee camp. We see his life at home, his son and wife's dealing with life and him being gone and him fighting the local war lord who is raiding villages and taking children for his own… More
  A awesome film about a doctor who lives in Denmark but spends most of his life in Africa at a refugee camp. We see his life at home, his son and wife's dealing with life and him being gone and him fighting the local war lord who is raiding villages and taking children for his own little military. 4 Stars. 6-19-12

• Matthew S

  
  When, if ever, is violence the necessary choice of action? This movie explores the question on school grounds, a public park, and an African refugee camp. We have a young child who strictly believes in overwhelming retribution towards an offender as the only way to change their… More
  When, if ever, is violence the necessary choice of action? This movie explores the question on school grounds, a public park, and an African refugee camp. We have a young child who strictly believes in overwhelming retribution towards an offender as the only way to change their behavior. Then there is a father who is a surgical doctor and believes in non-violence. We follow both of them as they see their natures put to extreme tests. The child's story becomes quite ridiculous and unbelievable - really the whole last third of the movie relies on more and more unlikely developments to resolve the story, consequently marginalizing the question for the sake of drama. Still, the rest of the movie is an interesting opportunity to wrestle with our own nature and ask where our own line is drawn.

• Anthony L

  
  A fantastic film with two main interweaving storeys. Susanne Bier started off as a Dogme 95 director, a manifesto I was a big fan off but it did have a limited shelf life - what has come from the movement and from it's directors are more focused, meaningful and realistic films.… More
  A fantastic film with two main interweaving storeys. Susanne Bier started off as a Dogme 95 director, a manifesto I was a big fan off but it did have a limited shelf life - what has come from the movement and from it's directors are more focused, meaningful and realistic films. In a better World is a perfect example of this. I'm really glad it was nominated for an Oscar but it still doesn't seem to have given it the publicity it deserved as I still don't know many people who have seen it. I still think Biutiful should have won but it's a deserved winner and better than most of the non-foreign language fans nominated. Isn't it time to get rid of this category?

• Jan Marc M

  
  In A Better World is an ethically provocative and morally thoughtful drama that advocates family, bullying, and justice. Ambitious.

• Cynthia S

  
  Breath-taking cinematography. Slow moving drama, but extremely well done. Great actors. Very moving story...and lots of very blue eyes. Oh those Scandinavians!

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"- If you hit him, he hits you, and then it never ends. - Not if you hit hard enough the first time."</i> The lives of two Danish families cross each other, and an extraordinary but risky friendship comes into bud. But loneliness, frailty and sorrow lie in… More
  <i>"- If you hit him, he hits you, and then it never ends. - Not if you hit hard enough the first time."</i> The lives of two Danish families cross each other, and an extraordinary but risky friendship comes into bud. But loneliness, frailty and sorrow lie in wait. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> In a Better World is an uncompromising but effective study of grief, heroism, and friendship, in a league where everyone faces revenge and no one responds the same as anyone else. In other words this is a challenging study of human nature stretched but resilient. The acting is first-rate, the story simple but surprising, and the awards--Oscar and Golden Globe--are well deserved. Woven into the intricate plot is Anton's willingness literally to turn his other cheek with his own bully in front of the boys, who demand revenge. They seem unaware of Anton's heroics in Kenya, where death stalks the tent hospital, and he is called on daily to face down both death and his revenge thoughts about a murderous tribal lord. The film's strength is its ability to attach the major players to the themes of friendship (the boys), heroism (an occasional occurrence) and revenge (everyone must face it). Director Susanne Bier has guided her actors to underplay while allowing the harrowing circumstances to do the heavy emotional lifting. Be it in Denmark or Kenya, faith in the goodness of mankind is ever-present, but so is despair. That third-world bookending can be emotionally blackmailing because who could be neutral about the impoverished and terrorized poor being saved by a noble physician? When juxtaposed with the sterile yet subtly violent life in Denmark, the fragility of all life and the horrors possible anywhere are amply represented if not overdone. No matter, Bier has successfully translated our fears about violence, revenge, and survival into images and words we can all understand. Our mission will be to strive for a better world.

• Tracy K

  
  Just back from seeing "In A Better World". Quite enjoyed it, althought still not sure that I'd have given it the Oscar over "Incendies".

• Carlos M

  
  At some point this fascinating film reminded me of Dogville. A challenging meditation on how hurt-induced revenge and the intention of getting rid of a menace can overlap when one looks for a motive to get even. It would have been much better, however, if it did not move its focus to… More
  At some point this fascinating film reminded me of Dogville. A challenging meditation on how hurt-induced revenge and the intention of getting rid of a menace can overlap when one looks for a motive to get even. It would have been much better, however, if it did not move its focus to a minor subject (in comparison) in the third act.

• Mike S

  
  Danish Oscar-winner with supreme dramatic qualities. I'll admit that the story didn't seem very appealing to me at first, but it's one of those films that really grabs hold of you after a while - once you get to know all the characters. Engrossing and fine-spun… More
  Danish Oscar-winner with supreme dramatic qualities. I'll admit that the story didn't seem very appealing to me at first, but it's one of those films that really grabs hold of you after a while - once you get to know all the characters. Engrossing and fine-spun intrigues, despite being a bit depressing at its core. There's not a doubt in my mind as to why it brought home the Academy Award. Because if there's one thing that Danes are great at, it's making well-acted dramas. Also a moment of pride for us Swedes, with Mikael "soon-to-be-Beorn" Persbrandt in a very prominent role. An excellent film altogether, with a strong universal message that I believe everyone can relate to.

• Mark A

  
  There was a lot going on in this film, by a favorite director, Susanne Bier (After the Wedding), and as in that earlier film, one of the characters works among desperate native people in Africa. Here it is a doctor who appears to work in an organization like doctors without borders.… More
  There was a lot going on in this film, by a favorite director, Susanne Bier (After the Wedding), and as in that earlier film, one of the characters works among desperate native people in Africa. Here it is a doctor who appears to work in an organization like doctors without borders. His son is tormented at school and is befriended by another boy who is dealing with the recent death of his mother that he blames his father for either causing or hastening. Both families are in trouble and largely unaware of how badly the problems of the grownups have affected the children. The cast is terrific, the story ranges wide, but never feels out of control. The cinematography captures the vast expanse of the African plains, the squalor of the refugee camp in Africa, and the insular nature of the Danish community where the boys live. Many issues are dealt with, but because of the masterful work of Ms Biers, it never feels unfocused. Tension builds as the pranks of the boys get more and more violent, until the explosive climax.

• Walter M

  
  Elias(Markus Rygaard) is a 12-year old student whose parents Anton(Mikael Persbrandt) and Marianne(Trine Dyrholm), doctors, are often apart with Anton volunteering to go to Africa. The situation looks to become permanent with their divorce. At least, things are looking up for Elias… More
  Elias(Markus Rygaard) is a 12-year old student whose parents Anton(Mikael Persbrandt) and Marianne(Trine Dyrholm), doctors, are often apart with Anton volunteering to go to Africa. The situation looks to become permanent with their divorce. At least, things are looking up for Elias when he finally makes a friend with the arrival of Christian(William Johnk Nielsen), a new student to his school with the same birthday of July 7. Christian's mother just died and his father(Ulrich Thomsen) who travels a lot to London has left the boy in his grandmother's(Dynah Bereket) care. But then Christian attacks Elias' bully, Sofus(Simon Maagaard Holm), with a bike pump. With her latest film, "In a Better World," director Susanne Bier desperately wants to make an important statement about violence in the world. The question lingering at the end is what exactly is she trying to say. Is it that violence never does any good? In any case, the movie wants to have its cake and eat it, too. First, there is a case straight out of a medical ethics textbook. Then, there is Christian's behavior which might possibly be explained away by some as due to his mother just dying.(Absent parents are a constant theme here.) However, acting out is one thing, but Christian's behavior definitely falls in the neighborhood of garden variety psychopath.(Notice the violent video game he is playing.) He's not the only character who does not behave in any recognizable way, either. Add the punches telegraphed so far ahead of time that they are laughable, and "In a Better World" falls flat on its face either in sending a coherent message or telling a compelling story.

• Jeff T

  
  Susanne Bier has made film after film of brutal, gut-punching morality, and her latest is no exception. If it lacks some of the of the delicacy of BROTHERS or AFTER THE WEDDING, IN A BETTER WORLD can't be faulted for not swinging for the fences. Bier is a true moralist, and… More
  Susanne Bier has made film after film of brutal, gut-punching morality, and her latest is no exception. If it lacks some of the of the delicacy of BROTHERS or AFTER THE WEDDING, IN A BETTER WORLD can't be faulted for not swinging for the fences. Bier is a true moralist, and this story of responsibility and revenge is riveting from the word go. Divided between war-torn Africa and suburban Denmark, the story follows a good, good man and his family through hair-trigger decisions about how best to navigated a tricky world with grace and humanity intact. While not subtle, there is a kind of beauty in the way the tale unfolds, and you probably won't be sitting back in you seat for much of the ride.

• Glenn G

  
  This 2011 Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film is a riveting experience....to a point...but when it works, it works. Basically this is a meditation on violence and bullying, wherein most of the main characters are faced with the same conundrum of what do to when one… More
  This 2011 Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Film is a riveting experience....to a point...but when it works, it works. Basically this is a meditation on violence and bullying, wherein most of the main characters are faced with the same conundrum of what do to when one encounters a bully. Do you hit back or turn the other cheek? Does violence beget more violence or is it the answer? Set mainly in Denmark but with a part set in Kenya where a Swedish doctor runs a clinic for the needy villagers, this film plays almost like CRASH meets OFF THE MAP (Yes, the GREY'S ANATOMY quasi spinoff!) The tale of two families, one grieving over the death of a mother, while the other features the doctor in Kenya who is estranged from his wife and is the pacifist Dad as he deals with his own son being tormented at school. In the Kenya scenes, the Dad also has to confront a local kingpin who is raping and mutilating women, while back in Denmark, he has his own issues with a physically abusive auto mechanic. Bullying takes many forms here - with schoolkids and adults alike, and I became so wrapped up in the situations, because I found myself rooting for the characters to strike back. William Nielsen is particularly great as Christian, a young boy hardened to his core by the death of his mother and willing to resort to extreme violence to express his anger. Of course, nothing goes as planned for our characters, and we just know that tragedy is just around the corner. It eventually strikes, but then the movie starts to lose its nerve. In the last 15-20 minutes of the film, the writer obviously felt the need to tie up the many plot strands into tidy bows, and by doing so, it felt too pat and overextended. A little nerve was lost somehow. Not enough however to ruin what is mostly a beautifully shot, powerful film.

• Panta O

  
  In Danish the original name of the movie is Hævnen, (The Revenge) and that could be the main thread of the plot of this drama thriller written by Anders Thomas Jensen and directed by Susanne Bier. The idea for the film was born when two of them had discussions about the perception of… More
  In Danish the original name of the movie is Hævnen, (The Revenge) and that could be the main thread of the plot of this drama thriller written by Anders Thomas Jensen and directed by Susanne Bier. The idea for the film was born when two of them had discussions about the perception of Denmark as a very harmonious society and their wish to write a story where dramatic turns of events would disrupt the image of a blissful place - soon they started developing the narrative with the character that would be played by Mikael Persbrandt (in the movie he was an idealist who becomes the victim of an assault but refuses to fight back). The choice of the best stars from Scandinavia says a lot about the acting which was superb! Mikael Persbrandt is joined by Trine Dyrholm, and Ulrich Thomsen in a story which takes place in small-town Denmark and a refugee camp in Africa. In the story of Anton (Mikael Persbrandt), who is a Swedish doctor who travels between Denmark and his work in a refugee camp in Sudan, and often has to treat (even pregnant) female patients who are the victims of a sadistic warlord, we learn that Anton's marriage to Marianne (Trine Dyrholm) is falling apart and they have to deal with that situation and their two young sons - the older one being 12-year-old Elias (Markus Rygaard). The parallel story of Christian (William Jøhnk Juels Nielsen), who has just moved from London with his father, Claus (Ulrich Thomsen), is smoothly interwoven in the first one when Christian becomes a new boy at Elias' school. Christian's has his own issues because his mother recently died from cancer, and Christian blames his father for lying to him that she would get well... that's for the part of the story - there is much more, but I'll suggest to find all that by yourself watching it! This movie is worth every second you spent on it! It won the 2011 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards for reason! Some critics said that it was made with a recipe for an Oscar with its safe and non-threatening approach and dealing with the issue of cancer and divorce, and images of poor children starving in Africa... and that was "so obvious and manipulative". Well, as an answer to them - that is a good directorship - if you can manipulate your audience that they do not notice it and enjoy the experience, what more do you want? Yes, in some parts of the movie, you'll experience a diagram of lessons learned instead of more realistic approach of ordinary people dealing with complicated problems but everything was done with skills of a master director, which Susanne Bier obviously is! She managed to cut between all of the complex developments of the stories to contrast the kinds of people who are instinctively cruel and those who are instinctively kind, and the outcomes are sometimes unpredictable. I am glad that the director was a female, because I felt seduced with her drama which pushes correct emotional buttons.

• John B

  
  The film that I want to win the Best Foreign Picture oscar hasn't in the last couple of years and I hardly hear about the winner. In many cases, I eventually come around to seeing the picture and can see the picture's worth. Call it the same this year. This is masterful.

• Grant B

  
  If Jesus was a film director today, he would have made this film! The central theme of the film is compassion, forgiveness, and loving your enemy. I truly do believe that Jesus would not have directed movies like "Facing the Giants" or "Fireproof" (and not that… More
  If Jesus was a film director today, he would have made this film! The central theme of the film is compassion, forgiveness, and loving your enemy. I truly do believe that Jesus would not have directed movies like "Facing the Giants" or "Fireproof" (and not that there is anything wrong with movies like that), but Jesus was a storyteller who told parables that involved many sins to convey greater life lessons. This film is packed with life lessons! If more people acted like the father Anton (who is a doctor in Africa and a dedicated father), then we all would live in a better world. In the film, nature almost seems to be a character. The world is beautifully depicted in incredible nature shots showing the natural beauty and brutality of our planet (dust devils and storms). The music does not distract from the film, but truly benefits the acting (on the note of acting, this film has two fantastic child actors)! Stylistically, the movie still bares some of the Dogme 95 tenants (shaky handheld work and purposeful jump cuts), but that only adds to the story as great Dogme 95 does. This film won best foreign film for a reason: It is tangible and universal in both theme and content.

• Daniel P

  
  Stunning.

• Alec B

  
  Its amateurish in the worst possible way. By comparing the problems in Africa to those of a few white, wealthy Europeans it undermines whatever statement its trying to make. Its basically the Danish "Crash".

• Nicolas K

  
  In a better world they would make more movies like this one. A thought provoking film, provides no answers, let alone easy ones. Deservedly nominated for best foreign film at the Oscars and although it was not my favourite pick of the final five, it eventually went to win the… More
  In a better world they would make more movies like this one. A thought provoking film, provides no answers, let alone easy ones. Deservedly nominated for best foreign film at the Oscars and although it was not my favourite pick of the final five, it eventually went to win the statuette.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings