Worlds Apart

65

Intelligent, moving drama about a Danish girl torn between her atheist boyfriend and Jehovah's Witness family. Niels Arden Oplev's script (with Steen Bille) avoids extremes, painting both sides as complex and sincere. Low-key, at times a bit too much so, but bolstered by excellent acting, especially Rosalinde Mynster as the heroine and Jens Jorn Spottag as her father, torn between his daughter and his faith. Unfortunately given little release in America, it's well worth checking out.

Maybe I was just not enlightened enough about Jehova's Witnesses beforehand. Maybe the film twists the truth. OR maybe reality is just beyond filmic imitation. Either way, I think both Rosalinde Mynster and the boy (actually I thought it was Pilou Asbæk?) put in great breakthrough performances. And it kept its nerve and diversity splendidly. It's been a couple of years since I saw it, but I honestly only remember thinking it was one of the best Danish films I'd seen. So... hence the score!

"Too conventional" seems a dramatic understatement. No surprises and no really interesting scenes, the few dramatic ones being ruined by overwritten, overindulgent dialogue. Not exactly bad - but not exactly good either. Very middle-of-the-road.

A conventional yet emotionally compelling and tender religious drama with great acting performances. Rosalinde Mynster's eyes will break your heart.

I'm totally biased because I was raised as a JW and was very serious about it. This movie really touched me.