1996 Danish drama film
Portland is a 1996 Danish drama film written and directed by Niels Arden Oplev, in his feature film debut.[3] It stars Anders W. Berthelsen, Ulrich Thomsen, and Iben Hjejle. The film, whose title is a reference to the Danish cement company Aalborg Portland,[1] was selected for competition at the 46th Berlin International Film Festival.[4]
Plot
The film is set in northern Denmark[3] and depicts the "violent drug-fueled adventures of two brothers, Janus (Anders Wodskou Berthelsen) and Jakob (Michael Muller) at the bottom of Denmark's social ladder."[1]
Cast
Reception
American critic Stephen Holden called the film "blood-chilling" with the
"feel of a nihilistic prank. But although flashy, it has fundamental weaknesses. Partly because the actor playing him has no dramatic range, the transformation of Jakob from softhearted reform-school punk into sadistic iron man isn't the slightest bit convincing. Mr. Berthelsen's lank-haired, pill-popping Janus, however, is all too real. As this connoisseur of pain punches and lurches his way through the film, you see exactly how antisocial impulses can be warped into a code of outlaw values."[1]
David Stratton of Variety described it as "violent, nihilistic and often repellent, and yet its bold visuals and unexpected elements of humor and romance make it riveting viewing."[2] According to Stratton,
"as a director, Oplev shows he has talent: his mixture of moods works well, he gets strong performances from most cast members, and he pushes the narrative along at an urgent pace....But as a writer, he’s less successful; it’s surely not enough these days for Janus to blame his lifestyle on a lack of mother's love (which he does) or to have characters utter corny lines like 'It’s us against the world.' There’s also far too much unmotivated violence (Janus assaulting a shopping mall security guard is a totally unnecessary sequence) and a few cheap and obvious jokes at the expense of authority figures."[2]
References
External links
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