Brothers – Zwischen Brüdern (2004)

Brothers – Zwischen Brüdern: Directed by Susanne Bier. With Connie Nielsen, Ulrich Thomsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Sarah Juel Werner. Two brothers must negotiate changing roles and shifting family dynamics when one is sent to war in Afghanistan.

“Brothers (2004)u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA remarkable movie in several ways. The first is just that itu0026#39;s well made, with two main layers of story line that are compelling, and some surprising and mostly believable turns. The second is that we (in the U.S.) have a look at the war in Afghanistan from non-American eyes. The echoes are inevitable, and so are the differences, in attitude by the soldiers and in public reaction. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe lead actor Ulrich Thomsen is compelling and versatile, and in some ways makes the movie. His range (which you have to see for yourself or youu0026#39;ll be tipped off) is terrific. His wife, played by better known Connie Nielsen (in her first Danish movie, even though she is Danish herself, and knows seven languages) is perfect, too, though she plays someone who is admittedly u0026quot;boringu0026quot; and so has less range. Finally, the lead manu0026#39;s brother, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, is charming and a wild card, making the trio appropriately imbalanced. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI say all this because itu0026#39;s an acting movie, and a movie about relationships and therefore about plot. Itu0026#39;s not a war movie, but more about the effects of war. Itu0026#39;s recommended for people who have absorbed American movies like The Hurt Locker. But more than that, itu0026#39;s just a well made, emotional, human interest film. There are a couple flaws (including the key part about the helicopter crash, which just doesnu0026#39;t hold up to common sense), but they are small in the larger, gritty realism of the whole.”