HAEVNEN (IN A BETTER WORLD)

Denmark, 2010, 119 minutes. Colour.
Mikael Persbrandt, Ulrich Thomsen, Trine Dyrholm, Markus Rygaard, William Johnk Nielsen.
Directed by Susanne Bier.

In a Better World can now introduce itself as winner of the Golden Globe and then the Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film of 2010. And an interesting and entertaining piece of film-making it is.

Suzanne Bier has made some arresting films at home, Brothers, After the Wedding, and, in Hollywood, Things We Lost in the Fire. She likes to take on serious themes and emotional conflicts.

The Danish title means 'Vengeance' and that is at the core of the story. However, the hope in the English title, that we could live in and make a better world even though we don't highlights the ultimate message that revenge is only destructive.

We are introduced to two quite diverse worlds at first. In the first, filmed in Kenya, Michael, a Swedish doctor who has married in Denmark, works with local doctors and nurses for the large population who through to the surgery. Many of the women are the mutilation victims of a brutal warlord. In the meantime, Christian reads a poem about a nightingale at his mother's funeral. She has died after a long fight with cancer. He returns home to his grandmother's house with his father whom he blames for his mother's unhappiness and death.

Christian then takes centre stage as he begins in a new school finding a boy continually bullied because of his teeth braces and his face shape which is a touch rodent-like. He is Michael's son. When Christian himself is at the receiving end of a punch, the film's title really comes into focus. Christian, a pleasant looking and quiet young boy, surprises us be revealing that he is bitter, angry and ready to take out his vengeance on anyone who stands in his way. And he does, drawing Elias into his plans (actually bullying his friend with psychological and emotional pressure).

When Michael returns from Africa, he has to deal with Elias and his problems. He is separated from his wife but Elias is devoted to him. But, Michael has to return to Africa and, after a gruelling encounter with the warlord, is too weary to realise that Elias has contacted him for advice about Christian's plans. Michael had already shown the boys a readiness to turn the other cheek when he has been insulted and hit and reminded them that wars begin with these small attacks and small revenges.

There is more tragedy but the film, while acknowledging the hardness in the human heart, is not without some hope in forgiveness and the resilience of the human spirit.

The performances are excellent and the two boys (who have had little screen experience before this) are most convincing and compelling. This is a truly intelligent drama which offers satisfying viewing and a great deal to reflect on human values.

1. Oscar winner? Acclaim? Strong drama? Theme of war and peace? Healing, reconciliation?

2. The two titles, the focus on revenge? The fact that we are not in a better world? The ideals and striving to put them into practice?

3. The opening in Kenya, its tone, the doctors at work, the white doctor amongst the Africans? The locals, the nurses? The children following the truck? The doctor throwing the ball, their playing? The hard work, the range and number of patients, weariness? The second visit to Kenya, the women being brutally cut, the local chieftain and his cutting them, his brutality, the truckload of gunmen, the treatment by the doctor, the locals refusing, the confrontation? The doctor not liking him but having to work with him? His boasts, the doctor dragging him away, the locals converging on him, his death? The audience feelings of revenge – within the context of the themes of the film? Elias and his contacting his father, his father tired, wanting to delay the talk? The consequences for Elias? The final visit, the doctor working with the locals, the children following the truck again? The irony of the little boys and their sticks and their playing games of battle? Yet the hopes?

4. Africa as a setting to contrast with Denmark?

5. The contrast with Christian’s world, his mother’s funeral, his reciting the poem about the nightingale, memories of his mother’s reciting it? The grief at the funeral, his father? His stoicism, yet his deep anger? The return to Denmark, the house, his grandmother, settling in, the choice of his room, the father-son tensions?

6. Christian and his age, his bitterness, his seeing his father as a villain? Seeing Elias being bullied? His class seat, helping Elias with the books? Elias and the tyres being let down, taking the valve from the other bike? The attack by the bully, Christian being hit with the ball, his nose and the blood? Not telling his father? His taking the bat, bashing the bully, threatening him with the knife? The reasons? Getting rid of the knife? The interrogation by the teachers, the lies about the knife, Elias corroborating this? The teacher wanting them to reconcile with the bully, Christian refusing, going to retrieve the knife?

7. Elias, his age, the braces on his teeth, his being called a rat because of his face, the continued bullying, the pushing, the bike? His mother and her concern? The little brother? The tensions with the absent father? His return? Elias relishing his father’s company? The parents being called by the teacher, the mother and her outburst and anger? The memory of her husband’s affair, his repenting? The wife and her work in the hospital?

8. The tall building, Christian and his liking to go up there, taking Elias with him, Elias’s father forbidding him to go, the continued return and the lies?

9. The incident with Lars, the boy at the swing, Lars hitting Anton? The children wanting vengeance? Elias describing his father’s behaviour as wimpish? The issues of retaliation? Anton and his decision to return after the boys tracked down Lars and got his car number and his address? His being ridiculed as Swedish, his accent? The confrontation with Lars, the other people working at the garage? Lars and his slapping Anton? Anton turning the other cheek? His explanation to the children – and the consequences for battles and wars?

10. Christian in himself, the discovery of the fireworks, the decision to make the bomb, his reasons? The fact that Christian was really bullying Elias into compliance?

11. Elias with his father, the joy of flying the kites, the Skype message, his father not giving his son advice? Elias and the threats from Christian, agreeing to help him, keeping the knife? The mother finding the knife? Her going to Christian’s father? Christian and his being upset, imputing motives to his father?

12. Christian’s father, memories of his wife, the nature of her illness, her bitterness and cruelty at the end, saying that Christian would turn against him? His explanations to Christian after the accusations, Christian saying his father wanted his wife to die? His father wanting to end his wife’s suffering?

13. Christian’s decision, the plan, 7.00am, no people about, the place, planting the bomb under the vehicle, the joggers passing by, Elias and his saving them, his being hurt in the explosion?

14. Elias’s mother, Anton, going to the hospital, Elias and his illness? Christian visiting, the mother’s attack on Christian? Christian thinking Elias was dead?

15. Christian and the police, taking all the blame? Elias, his recovery, wanting to take the blame?

16. Christian going up the building, everybody searching, his suicidal attitudes, Anton realising where he was, saving him?

17. The underlying portrait of Anton as the strong and wise character in the film? His work in Africa? His past affair and his wife’s bitterness? The possibilities of their reconciliation, especially through sharing the plight of Elias? His wisdom, pacifism? A strong father? Saving Christian?

18. The issues of violence and non-violence, ideals, integrity and authenticity? The Danish microcosm of wars and battles, the Kenyan microcosm? The meanings of the title?