Zweite Chance

Acting-wise, it's probably the strongest line-up we can find up north. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones is a very big draw, and add to that Ulrich Thomsen from Banshee and Nikolaj Lie Kaas, who is currently leading the Nordic crime quadralogy, whose latest effort, The Purity of Vengeance, opens in cinemas in just four days. A Second Chance is a stiffing, uncomfortable, authentic drama-thriller that especially for parents (mothers) will not be very enjoyable to watch. The film focuses on two families, one drug addicted socially deprived, the other well off but their luck is not very good. I must say that it is a really powerful film that is not afraid to show scenes that we don't normally see in cinema – the scene where the toddler is lying on the toilet covered in feces and urine was more than shocking. The direction, writing and acting were flawless and supported with a very bleak atmosphere. 80% (21.01.2019)

I would definitely not recommend the film to pregnant women, expectant mothers, aspiring mothers, or mothers trying to conceive, as the realistic mannequin of a dead infant rolls in front of the camera quite often; I was disappointed that underneath the initial shock value there is basically a pretty conventional drama. The problem is the admittedly quite interestingly paced but totally chewed to the bone script, which doesn't really do more than move the plot along in any one scene. Thus, the individual characters are merely variables in a geometric proof, into which we don't see more than the multiple-day plot needs. It's the protagonist who takes the brunt of it, and he's not easy to relate to because we don't know if he's a sensitive, loving father and husband or a pragmatic sociopath. Which it seems was not the intention. Some may find it the opposite of a coherent screenplay; I found it a poor cinematic adaptation of one. (17.05.2016)

Filmchallenge 2018 - Dänemark. Einer meiner klaren Favoriten setzt sich an die Spitze des Rankings. Bereits nach zehn Minuten habe ich mir gesagt, dass diese zehn Minuten besser sind als mindestens achtzig Prozent der gesamten amerikanischen Produktion. Die Dänen habe es drauf und beherrschen unerschütterlich den Norden. Susanne Bier hat ein weiteres bemerkenswertes psychologisches Drama geschaffen, dass manch einer antiken Tragödie konkurrieren kann. Sie bestätigt, dass sie zusammen mit Von Trier nicht nur auf dem dänischen Piedestal steht, sondern sich auf europäischer und internationaler Ebene mit den Großen messen kann. Das Setzen auf den Star aus Games of Thrones hat sich eindeutig ausgezahlt, Coster-Waldau spielt, als gelte es das Leben, er zeigt eine famose Leistung, der zweite Nikolai Lie Kaas und Ulrich Thomsen sind mit ihren ebenso hervorragenden Leistungen keine Überraschung. Eines der größten Filmereignisse in diesem Jahr. (15.04.2018)

Quite an interesting story about how one detective gets involved in a case involving a family of drug addicts and ends up taking away more from it than one might expect at first glance. This really isn't something you see every day. I found the film original and well acted, with Nikolaj Lie Kaas in particular showing his versatility. Very raw yet accessible. (15.11.2016)

An emotionally intense drama with a strong ethical overlay and a completely insane plot involving a child swap. Nicely filmed, brilliantly acted, and the ethereal music also leaves nothing to be desired. However, it's only for strong-hearted viewers; some shots of the neglected baby are truly shocking in terms of humanity... (85%) (30.05.2020)