Rent Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Dancer in the Dark - Shocking in the Extreme - Dancer in the Dark review by CP Customer

The hopes and dreams of the lead character gives one a feeling of tenderness and strength. She is fighting for her son, who has an illness which CAN be helped by the medics, but at a price.

She works so hard and saves every penny in order to accumulate the medical fees and her only respite is the amateur production of the Sound of Music.

Having never seen Bjork prior to this I was so amazed at her compelling command on screen. She is definitely a "one off" and gives a memorable performance.

The cheerful and happy atmosphere starts to slip away as things begin to go wrong for her. She is far too trusting and, to be brutally frank, just plain stupid in saving up her money in the way she does. Disaster is looming!

I found the last quarter of the film so harrowing as to be almost unbelievable - but no doubt this is the way certain states in the USA deal with those who are find themselves in the terrible situation shown in this film.

Harrowing? Yes, but even more than that: shocking in the extreme. One simply wonders how the sequence of events depicted here could ever be contemplated, let alone carried out.

Please be aware that this film is NOT suitable for younger children to see; I found it hard to watch as the end approached and I'm a fully mature adult male.

So Realistic - Dancer in the Dark review by PT

Apart from the musical sequences, an integral part of Selma's mind set, the hand held camera work and superb acting give this film a realism like that of a documentary.

Bjork plays Selma, a factory worker who is going blind and unfortunately her son has the same genetic disorder. Selma breaks her back saving for an operation for him, to save his sight. She loves musicals and these provide her escape from the sweat , toil , and impoverished existence. Bjork is outstanding as the loveable Selma, so sweet, innocent and committed to her goal.

Catherine Deneuve plays her best friend, an older , almost mother type figure, who watches over her with love. Deneuve is phenomenal, in a rare supporting role ( apparently she wrote to the director Lars Von Tier asking for a small part in one of his movies, as she is obviously a fan. Von Tier replied no, but you can have a relatively big part).

A disaster then hits Selma's plans. What follows is some of the most moving and gut wrenching acting that lead Selma to her picked conclusion.

Compelling & Unusual Drama/Musical - Dancer in the Dark review by GI

A compelling and indeed quite haunting drama that combines musical, courtroom and crime all in a film that feels rather unique from director Lars von Trier. Björk, with an award winning performance, plays Selma, a Czech immigrant working in a metalworks factory in Washington State, USA. She has a young son and cleverly hides a degenerative eye condition that is gradually making her blind and which she suspects her boy has too. She's a gentle, naive and kind hearted woman who finds her happiness in Hollywood musicals. In times of stress she daydreams she is part of a musical dance with these scenes played out for us, the audience. In many ways the representation of Selma's inner thoughts as musical dance numbers encapsulates how film musicals represent the emotions of the characters in it's purest form. Her life is ruptured when her landlord, Bill (David Morse), the local town sheriff, steals her savings that she has for an operation to cure her son's failing eyesight. When she confronts him the situation deteriorates leading to Selma facing a trial. This is a moving story and whilst the trademark handheld camera work that von Trier uses and the improvised nature of the script may be a bit jarring the film is enhanced by the realist styling that this provides. The cast are excellent and include Catherine Deneuve and Peter Stormare in an unusual but interesting and riveting film. The film's climax is both shocking and slightly surreal.