What it’s about
Brothers Michael (Thomsen) and Jannik (Lie Kaas) have pursued wildly divergent adult lives. While Michael is a successful military officer and family man, Jannik remains stunted in sulking criminality. But when Michael is presumed dead in Afghanistan, Jannik straightens up and commits to helping out with Michael's children… and draws close to his previously disapproving sister-in-law Sarah. When Michael arrives home after being held captive, he faces not only debilitating post-traumatic stress, but also the possibility that his idyllic home life has been irrevocably changed.
Why we love it
Inspiration for the 2009 film of the same name that starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire, this Danish chamber piece is a more mature and naturalistic sibling to its Hollywood remake. A movie about the deep fractures that war creates in the lives of veterans and those who love them, “Brothers” derives its emotional power from the fact that there are no bad or wrong sides to this triangle, only imperfect human beings faced with impossible realities. Featuring outstanding performances from great Danes Thomsen (Celebration) and the ever-luminous Nielsen (Gladiator), Susanne Bier’s deeply moving, tightly coiled drama is as timeless as it is topical.