Morals are challenged in a 'World' that's dangerously close to turmoil

In the midst of all of the sequels, remakes and reboots that Hollywood is overwhelming us with today, movie-lovers tend to take refuge in some independent works. Those films offer us new visions as we watch the work of a director that hasn't quite gotten their name out yet. Foreign films can offer that as well, since they can also be favorable diversions from the usual Hollywood scene. But foreign films aren't as easy to find in your local cinema, because most people aren't as open to receive them. The subtitles and unfamiliar faces are usually the turn-offs. As a fan of foreign cinema, I usually have to rent that genre of film because of their limited distribution to our theaters. That's why having the chance to go to a press screening for Danish director Susanne Bier's latest film, In a Better World, was a huge treat. As expected in a foreign film, there was much originality in its story and emotional depth in the characters, all in a film about two worlds that are geographically and politically different, but socially and thematically similar. It's a cinematic breath of fresh air.

Anton (Mikael Persbrandt) is a doctor who commutes from his suburb in Denmark to his work in a refugee camp in Africa. His wife Marianne (Trine Dyrholm) have two young sons, and are considering getting a divorce. Their older, ten-year-old son Elias (Markus Rygaard) is tormented everyday at school. He is then defended by a new student, Christian (William Johnk), a boy who recently moved from London with his father, Claus (Ulrich Thomsen). Shortly before the move, Christian's mother had lost her battle with cancer, and he is deeply troubled by it. Elias and Christian form a friendship; but when Christian involves Elias in a risky act of revenge with possibly tragic results, their bond is put to the test and their lives are put in jeopardy.

Persbrandt is resonant as Anton, Elias's pacifist father. He is a man of admirable moral values. There are people that use their fists to solve their problems; but his character uses words and a gentle exterior. Anton is still a force to be reckoned with as he uses non-violence to defend his family and friends from those that do use violence. He is a protector, a peacekeeper, and a stone fortress. Everytime you witness him in a confrontation, you expect him to break after a while, but he doesn't. He never lets go of his ethics, even when he decides to help heal a warlord in Africa, where he is a doctor. He doesn't see his patients as good or bad, just as people.

Trine Dyrholm is just as strong-willed as the mother of the two boys. She is the more assertive half of the couple, and is the bigger victim of their impending separation. But she is a tough woman and is always ready to take care of her children when wrong has been done to them. Markus Rygaard and William Johnk come across as very experienced actors, despite their age. Their performances blur the line between childhood and adulthood. Elias and Christian suffer from violence and tragedy, and Rygaard and Johnk handle the material with a firm grip, and act with as much ripeness as their older co-stars. Elias's fraility and Christian's recklessness bring their friendship close to brotherhood because of how their bond can stay intact regardless of their polarizing attitudes.

The screenplay by Anders Thomas Jensen envisions two diverse worlds that are vulnerable to mayhem. It displays, to a strong effect, how violence in society can engulf even the most civilized communities. Jensen's narrative has the Denmark suburb facing the challenges of everyday life, and has the African village facing the terror of a warlord. Yet, his story thematically links these two places. It poses the question of whether or not we are all vulnerable to chaotic behavior, no matter where we reside. Traveling back and forth from Denmark to Africa, Anton is the visual link of these two worlds, the character that faces ethical tests in both locations. The audience can vision themselves as Anton and think about if they would be passive or aggressive in his same scenarios. The characters make good and bad decisions, face the consequences, and have their principles challenged. It all makes In a Better World a commendable morality tale.

Final grade: A