The Dogma 95 movement has seen some searing looks into the human condition but rarely a romantic comedy -- until now. Veteran Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig spins this deadpan look at a group of lovelorn outsiders living in a grey corner of Copenhagen. After the perennially foul-tempered minister of a local church is fired after doing great injury to the organist, Andreas moves to the area to take over the parish. Staying in a hotel until his predecessor can be wrested from the rectory, Andreas befriends the establishment's scatter-brained manager, Jørgen, who is utterly in love with a beautiful Italian barmaid working at a nearby pub run by Hal-Finn. When the irascible Hal-Finn is chastised by the bar's owner for his unkempt appearance, he goes to a local salon where he meets Karen, a comely hairdresser harried by her grasping mom. Meanwhile, Andreas falls for a lethally klutzy pastry shop assistant named Olympia. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
Review
In a strange series of events, six people find themselves intermingling, while simultaneously, their lives begin to change for the better. Coincidence? Italian for Beginners does not presume to say, although it certainly makes a case for downplaying the cause-and-effect relationship. More about the effects, than of any particular cause, the film celebrates life's odd way of connecting people and one's ability to enjoy life more when there are people with whom one can celebrate. As the characters grow into complicated relations with one another, we see they are able to thrive as individuals once their lives have begun to intertwine. An overwhelming discussion of love exists in this film, although each love story is unique in its conditions, and the performances of which are executed with varying levels of passion. For instance, the love between the hairdresser and the jerk is incredibly sexual and intense, while the love between the pastor and the klutz is much more subtle and sweet. Perhaps the least explored example of love in this film exists between the beautiful Italian girl and the quiet older Jorgen Mortensen. While the passion, and even connection between the characters is less convincing, the idea is clearly the representation of a yet another, different kind of love. Also dealing with death in a realistic way, the film incorporates serious and contemplative life issues, while maintaining a lighthearted distance. In fact, it's the pastor who provides some of the film's best laughs. While stylistic decisions, including steadicam operation and choppy and erratic editing, detract slightly from an otherwise straightforward drama, there are some modern themes that date the film more specifically with the Dogme 95-inspired style of shooting and montage. Italian for Beginners provides a contemplative and subtle way of appreciating everyday triumphs and trials -- with the emphasis on triumphs. ~ Sarah Sloboda, Rovi
Italian for Beginners (Danish: Italiensk for begyndere) is a 2000 Danish romantic comedy film written and directed by Lone Scherfig. The film stars Anders W. Berthelsen, Lars Kaalund and Peter Gantzler. The film was made by the austere principles of the Dogme 95 movement, including the use of hand held video cameras and natural lighting, and is known as Dogme XII. However, in contrast to most Dogme films which are harsh and serious in tone, Italian for Beginners is a light-hearted comedy. Made on a low budget of $600,000, the film ranks as the most profitable Scandinavian film in history.[1]
In May 2010, it was officially revealed that writer-director Scherfig "borrowed" her plot from the Irish novel Evening Class by Maeve Binchy. Zentropa has agreed to pay a non-disclosed compensation to Binchy.[2]
Three women and three men, all singles, with stressful or unhappy lives, register for an Italian course in a Danish village. The class serves as a way of bringing these various residents of the town, each of whom is dealing with loss or pain, out of their loneliness and into interactions with other people. When the teacher suffers a heart attack during class and ends up dying, the six classmates hold the class anyway and eventually take a vacation to Italy.
The film won the Jury Grand Prix Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, the Golden Spike Award for the best film of the year at the Seminci film festival in Valladolid, Spain, and the Audience Award at the Warsaw International Film Festival in Poland. Peter Gantzler won the award for Best Actor at the Seminci festival. The film also won the Gold Dolphin (Best Film) at the Festroia International Film Festival in 2001. It currently holds an 88% certified "Fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
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