MEN & CHICKEN/ MAEND & HOENS

Denmark, 2015, 104 minutes, Colour.
David Dencik, Mads Mickelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Soren Malling, Nicolas Bro.
Directed by Anders Thomas Jensen.

Men and Chicken is an offbeat Danish comedy, often quite bizarre. It is a star vehicle for Danish stars David Dencik and Mads Mickelsen, the latter having built up a powerful international reputation. The film is also the work of prolific writer Thomas Anders Jensen, who has directed comparatively few films, ranging from the amoral world of Flickering Lights to the religious dimensions of Anders Apples.

The two brothers portrayed by the stars are very different, one a professor, the other rather hedonistic. On hearing that their father is dying, they go to where he lives only to find that he is not their biological father. This leads them to an expedition and the discovery of their father and their family, some of whom are rather strange as well.

Thoughtful through ironic comedy.

1. The title? It expectations? The chicken and the egg?

2. The Danish settings, the city, the island, the dilapidated mention, the rooms, the basement, the experiment centre? The musical score?

3. The voice-over, the story of the two brothers, the bonds, the father dying, Gabriel and his being present? The contrast with the liars, his discussion with the psychotherapist, reprimanding her for interrupting, not listening properly, his dreams and his struggling with his brother? Gabriel ringing him, his going to the hospital?

4. The father dead, leaving the video, they’re watching it – are liars with popcorn? The revelation that he was not their father, that they had different mothers?

5. Gabriel googling the identity of their father, scientist, being expelled from the University, living on the island? His decision to go? Are liars wanting to go with him?

6. The ferry, are liars and his fight with the captain, Gabriel and his meeting the doctor, the discussions? The lift to the house?

7. The house, dilapidated, a mess? The three brothers, their attack on Gabriel, bashing him? Is leaving with a liars? The decision to go back?

8. The personalities of the three brothers, their appearance, manner, behaviour, brutal? Elias and his fight back?
9. The mayor, his story about the brothers, mayor for many decades, his repressed daughter?is his generally lascivious behaviour, intentions with the daughter?

10. The men being protective of their father? Gabriel searching, their forbidding him? The discovery that the father had been dead for a long time? The past, his erratic behaviour, punishments, putting them in the cage?

11. The different personalities, Gabriel and his interactions, Lias and his interactions?

12. Gabriel, going to the basement, the discovery of the documents, the specimens?

13. Are liars, the story of the bull, the seaman for Europe and the cattle, his killing the ball?

14. The revelation of the truth, the experiments, the animal seaman, killing the mothers? The identification of the animals for each of the sons? Are liars and the ball, Joseph and the mouse, France and the dog…?

15. The decision for the brothers to stay – and the mayor and the nest for the stalk and it’s returning?

16. A comedy with touches of the absurd? The themes of scientific experiments? Experiments with life creation – and the touch of the Frankenstein story and the creation of different kinds of monsters? Yet the creation of life, and living with life?