Bleeder

As much as I enjoyed the super-hyped Dogma movies 'Festen', and 'Mifune', going by 'Bleeder' the real Danish director to watch is Nicolas Refn. He's an exciting talent, and will probably give Lars Von Trier a run for his money in a few films time. 'Bleeder' features a superb performance from Kim Bodnia ('Nattevagten'). He plays Leo, a guy who on the surface seems pretty normal, but who begins to crack up after his girlfriend Louise (Rikke Louise Andersson) unexpectedly announces her pregnancy, and he witnesses a shooting. This begins a descent into a living hell. The movie's bleak and depressing world view is balanced by the bittersweet sub-plot concerning video nerd Lenny (Mads Mikkelsen), and his attempt to "get a life". The scenes showing Lenny working in a to-die-for video store will make most film buffs drool! Lenny rattles off the stores inventory in a funny scene, and the movie is full of film talk from Lindsay Anderson to Fred Williamson, and even includes clips from William Lustig's exploitation classics 'Maniac' and 'Vigilante'. Refn definitely knows his stuff! 'Bleeder' is a powerful and unforgettable movie comparable to the films of Gaspar Noe ('I Stand Alone', 'Irreversible') and Gary Oldman's 'Nil by Mouth'. Depressing yes, but highly recommended viewing.

This movie is dark and real.Its about a man who has nothing to live for.And it only gets worse.This is the movie that makes you think about how good your life actually is and that there is a lot of people who have it worse.Thanks to another great performance by Kim Bodnia this movie will stick with you for days.

Nicolas Winding Refn, the genius behind the excellent "Pusher" sets new standards for danish movies with his new opus "Bleeder". Leo, played by the magnificent actor Kim Bodnia, is gradually going insane as his wife gets pregnant. He feels his life fade away and asks himself how he can put a child into a world that's raw and how they can afford to have one.

The atmosphere is two parts Scorcese's "Taxi Driver" and one part Franz Kafka's "Der Prozess", not very moody in other words. A sub-story about Leo's buddy searching for a girl relieves the pressure a bit, which is for the better as it also adds depth to the movie.

The violence feels very realistic and is sometimes even hard to watch, it's like it all is happening for real. The realistic approach makes this movie feel fresh and not like something you've seen before. After I saw this movie I was left with an uneasy feeling in my stomach and I knew I've seen something very rear and very good.

Nicolas Winding Refn is worth the highest of praise for making a movie like this. It's just what European moviemaking needs.

9/10

Expectations were high following Refn´s knockout debut "Pusher". The gritty realism of that movie is in part recreated in "Bleeder", but instead of just treading water and doing a Pusher remake, this is much more stylish in its theme and cinematography (e.g. the main characters´ names all start with L; Leo, Lenny, Lea etc. - almost every image seems meticulously composed and lit). The soundtrack seems to be more carefully chosen, supporting the emotions of the characters, seen in the great opening sequence. What ultimately makes Bleeder a minor film compared to Pusher, despite brilliant performances and a downbeat, even oppressive atmosphere, is a fatal lack of the kinetic energy of Pusher, which makes Bleeder a bit dull in spots. The scenes in the video store remind you of Clerks, but are not as funny, and a true movie fan would never mistake blaxploitation star Fred Williamson for Fred Williams (as mentioned in a scene between Bodnia and Mikkelsen), especially considering the hilarious scene in which Mikkelsen incredibly lists the video store´s selection of 50+ schlock directors. I admit that Bleeder has a way of staying with you afterwards, but I had expected a bit more from Refn. Rumours of star Bodnia being committed to a mental institution following the final days of shooting were false and exaggerated by the tabloid press.

BLEEDER is the follow-up to Nicolas Winding Refn's Danish debut, PUSHER. I think it's a better film in every respect, even if it is less well known: the story, of family dysfunction and human relationships, is brimming with power, and by turns tragic, bleak, and ultimately devastating.

The story sees Leo (Kim Bodnia, of PUSHER fame), attempting to adapt to family life when he finds out his girlfriend's pregnant. Along the way, he continues uneasy friendships with the racist Louis, his girlfriend's brother, and Lenny (Mads Mikkelsen), a loner who works at the local video shop. Of course things eventually become very dark indeed, and more harrowing and shocking than they were in PUSHER.

Refn elicits some excellent performances from his cast, not least from Bodnia, who is quietly terrifying throughout this. A glimmer of hope and humour comes from the presence of the outstanding Mikkelsen, who is my favourite character; the video shop setting allows for plenty of cultural references for film fans. Watch out for PUSHER's Zlatko Buric as another friend. By the end, I felt like I'd done ten rounds in the ring: BLEEDER is that kind of film, and excellent with it.