Hey there everyone. Here's a movie we haven't heard a peep on, and boy does our Danish connection CG change that. Here's a very strong look at this unheard of Danish film that as far as I know hasn't seen the light of day in terms of distribution outside of Denmark. Well.... If it's as good as CG says... let's hope that changes!
BLEEDER directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Hi there!
First off, let me extend my deepest gratitude to you, for running this site!
Anyway: A couple of months back I mailed you my reviews of the, -all to few-, movies I caught at the Copenhagen Night Film Festival. While the reaction wasn´t overwhelming in quantity, I still felt that there was someone out there who cared about me taking the time. Great. Thanks.
Some people voiced an interest in having mention of more smaller/independent or foreign movies, and the latter will be the topic of this thing.
While what I´m going to talk about is a danish film, -and therefore not foreign for me as a dane (duh!)-, it probably will be considered exactly that, by the majority of the readers of this site.
BLEEDER is the second installment, -and the directors second film-, in a trilogy based around the theme of loyalty, friendship & love which began with the good, -but in my opinion-, not excellent, PUSHER. I know for a fact that PUSHER has been shown a couple of years back, -in New York-, at an expo on danish culture, but I have no knowledge of wether or not BLEEDER will ever get to the states, but since it´s the danish contribution to the Venice Film Festival, and since it was presented for prospective buyers/distributers at this years Cannes Film Festival, who knows? It certainly ought to, and let me tell you why:
This is one of *the* best films I have ever seen! For me to go see a movie a second time at the theater is almost a no-no, simply because there are so many movies, and so little dough lining the pockets of this here filmfan. It has only happened once before, and let me confess; the second time was for free. I haven´t gone yet; its been a little under a week and I´m still digesting the first viewing, but I´m definitely going again.
While BLEEDER features much of the same cast as PUSHER, - a realistic and dark look at the drug underworld of Copenhagen-, the movies are not linked in any other ways than the obvious and the thematic. BLEEDER is also a lot more mature, and independent of the obvious inspirations behind PUSHER.
I guess there will be mild spoilers in the following, but since this is a character driven drama, rather than a movie with a thrilling an surprising plot, I don´t think it will be a problem. I will stear clear of any really unnecessary revelations, though.
BLEEDER is a movie that includes at least two main stories, where male insecurity and inadequacy play a big part. I don´t think this is a males-only movie, though. In fact, maybe quite the opposite; I think a lot of people (males) who went to see PUSHER and enjoyed its violent and riveting action, wil find it hard to (admit that they can) relate to this one. Theres a lot to feed the macho thirst for the gritty and the gruesome, but there is also a very beautiful and moving poetic center to this film. And thats the force of this movie.
Leo and girlfriend Louise are expecting a child, much to the dismay of Leo. He´s got more than a few problems relating to the fact of having a child, and irreversibly become an adult family man. While Louise is overjoyed, dreaming of a perfect family in her naïve way, he sees this as a more than unwelcome intrusion. He feels trapped in something that he in no way feels have any resemblance to a life of his own choosing, whatever that may be; Leo remains enigmatic. Basically he thinks he´s been had. Everything becomes a provocation, or a source of argument, even mere trifles. When he comes home to find Louise and a young mother she met at the laundry in their kitchen, and her kid messing with his things, he snaps, and right after the mother leaves, he hits her. This infuriates Louis, -the brother of Louise-, who threatens Leo not to ever do that again. Obviously Leos frustration doesn´t dissapear because of this, quite the opposite, in fact. The thing disintegrates into a widening spiral of retaliations, with a tragic outcome of almost classic proportions.
Before things get totally out of hand, Leos story crosses the story of one of his friends, Lenny. Lenny works at a videostore, and have a hard time relating to anything other than films. He tries to make contact with a girl, Lea, who works at a burger place, but find it intensely difficult to lead a conversation without returning to his ultimate passion: films.
Leo humiliates Lenny, cheapening his dreams of this girl, and basically take his frustrations out on all of his surroundings with what he sees as jokes, all to get a "reaction". As a substitute for sharing his problems and frustrations with his friends, Leo uses this insecure way to get attention. Ultimately Leos confession to Lenny about his situation actually sums him up as a person, an expresses his fear in vivid detail. Regarding his future life with girlfriend and child, he says; "I have nothing! Nothing!"
(Actually, he does have a life. Whats kept on a shelf in his and Louise´s home *is* his life, according to himself; when she moves some of his stuff around, he accuses her of messing with his life, though it´s indeed only a bundle of magazines, some records and the like. Even something like this, -the egotistical petty source of arguments in a relationship-, while not integral to the story, is shown so dead on. Like everything else in this movie.)
Mingled with this, is slice-of-life scenes dealing with racism, and the various forms of geekdom; the filmworld of Lenny and the bookworld of Lea.
While a lot is only hinted at, -why Leo is so apalled by the idea of having a child for example-, my experience of the movie was very much one of being able to relate in a way I very seldom feel while watching a movie trying to present believeable characters. It is not that big a feat for someone, director or otherwise, to coax out a tear or two; its mainly about pushing the right buttons. This movie was way beyond that. It was gut-wrenching, and not just the cheap pornography we´ve grown accustomed to as emotions on film. Some scenes, with or without dialogue, spoke volumes about basic human condition and big city life of the late 90´s, just in the way people and their life is portrayed. It had me reeling for days, my thoughts kept returning to it.
This is mainly due to one thing: incredible acting.
I can´t remember ever having seen a movie where I believed so much in the characters, although of course I have; it just seems so far between.
Its a movie about shockingly realistic people with real emotions, even though some scenes could seem conctructed,-but never over the top-, if put under serious scrutiny; the film *is* invested with some *serious* drama, which can be hard to establish without stretching the borders of believability a tiny bit. The only part that was hard to swallow was the beautiful-girl-as-geek-thing (Lea). And now I´m trying really hard to find anything to complain about.
It´s also got some great humour and snappy dialogue, without stupid and irrelevant Kevin Williamesque namedropping.
About the technical side of the movie I must say its very subtle, although not in any way a Dogme film. Its shot in scope and mostly handheld to give it a claustrophobic, and at times, almost Cineme Verité feel, and it makes extensive use of shadows and monochromes (mainly red).
It is never rushed, and at times it extends the feel of a scene, and the uncommunicated, for several moments of silence, just to let you digest, think about and react to, what you are seeing. I hate it when directors are afraid to bore their audience, and cuts something short before the emotions are played out. This never happens here, neither does the opposite.
Also the use of worm´s eye view at one particular time, and a low rumbling sound in all the scenes in Leos and Louise´s appartment to emphasize on Leo´s inaccountability, is pure genius. Disturbing, to say the least.
It´s hard to pitch a movie like this because most of its appeal is emotional, and it doesn´t rely on a premise that can be alluringly summed up in a few words, but please don´t miss this one if you like movies to be felt, and not just watched. Though this movie won´t be to everyones taste, I really don´t think that anyone will feel cheated or offended after watching this.
I feel tempted to quote one of my fellow danes from his review at IMDB:
"Forget about Dogme; this one blows ´em away!"
Believe me its that good.
A little extra in the form of trivia:
Both the incredible bookstore and the videostore shown in the movie, are for real; the latter is where I go for cultmovies and classics. (Hey, Copenhagen ain´t all that big, you know). And regarding the former; yes, the old guy knows exactly where everything is.
Kim Bodnia allegedly immersed himself so much in the role of the girlfriendbeating Leo, that he suffered a nervous breakdown, couldn´t attend promotion work, and was threatened with a lawsuit for not living up to what his contract demanded of him. He just made his first public appearance for some time the other day, sporting several extra pounds and a big beard.
It´s got music by Peter Peter (formerly punks-gone-hip-lounge-act Sods/Sort Sol) whos band is named.....Bleeder.
It features several clips from Morrisseys Flesh for Frankenstein, and other cult classics.
Nicolas Winding Refn says that he´s more affected and inspired by Ruggero Deodatos cannibal film (sorry, brainfart, you know the faux docimentary, whats the title?), than the entire body of work of Ingmar Bergman. Not that it shows in this movie, though :-)
I might return with something later in the year, -or in the next millenium. :-)
Until then
Later
GG
