After the Wedding

The Danish film After the Wedding is a bit too lengthy and free with the quick cuts, but it provides a well acted, surprising story about the difficulties of confronting multiple obligations. Mads Mikkelsen, best known in the US as Le Chiffre, is Jacob, a Danish aid worker living in India. He is sent back to Copenhagen to finalize a major donation. Upon his arrival, the donor Jorgen, a seemingly aloof businessman delays the signing and offhandedly invites Jacob to his daughter's wedding. A surprise at the wedding leads to a vexing request from Jorgen.

I found the two male leads compelling and deciding which is the true protagonist isn't easy. They both have bad choices to make, but both make reasonable ones, with costs to each of them. As a study in obligation I think it works quite well.

On the downside the movie at two hours is about 20 minutes too long. The director is fond of mood setting shots, including a motif of living and dying nature, that is laid on a big thick at times. She also goes a little crazy with quick cuts, which I found distracting.