To verdener

Love these Danish films...such emotion, tackling religion this time. Unfortunately, religion can ask too much from us mere mortals. The fact that the movie was based on a true story, made it more relatable...not with the Jehovahs only, but with any paternalistic religion. Enough said...

So I saw this movie past the best of my own judgement. Their wasn't anything graphically or verbally bad which I was expecting since its rating. But I have to say my jaw expressively saying is "dropped to the ground". Why doesn't anyone really do information background checks anymore. First of all I am a Jehovahs Witness, and yes I know many people that had gotten themselves in a similar situation. But what bothered me of this movie was its overall portrayal of my faith. I don't want people to think Im a sect. And guess what I am EDUCATED. Isn't that a twister. I have mine in arts, but enough about that. Why doesn't anyone ask Jehovahs Witnesses what they do. Yes, we don't have a goal of materialism. But we do need to support ourselves "HELLO!!!" To be honest all my friends have degrees! whether its in Arts, Teaching or Medical. We have them all in fact I was going for a degree in RN too. So maybe in Denmark they don't research too much because I am a full time Pioneer and I own my own Business! My faith didn't stir me to be apprehensive in accomplishing that. Like the girl sadly displayed! I'm offended...BIG TIME.

I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (Saint Matthews ,10-35)

These are words by Christ who hinted at an upheaval in the society in which you had to "honor thy father and thy mother", in which slavery was a fait accompli ; loyalty to Christ might lead to severance from the milieu where you were nurtured .But Christ's tenet was not only that: the New Testament and the hard Old one are "worlds apart" ( that's the English title of the movie)

In this excellent movie,the petulant Jehovah brings this about : it's not a problem of Danemark ,I'm not Danish ,and I've heard several times the "pioneers" knock on my door to bring me "the good news" .

Jehovah is,in these people 's mind , demanding but rewarding and you've got to sacrifice everything ,even your own life (the friend's awful fate after her accident is considered a blessing ,because her abnegation opened up the pearly gates for her ) and your family :the one depicted in " to verdener" is split into two "camps" and even three if you count the son , who first left and who became excommunicated ,a pariah to his own family ; the mother is adamant ,ruthless ,and forgiveness is a word she does not know .

It's too bad the boyfriend's parents characters are not more developped : they are atheist ,well-balanced and happy and they do tell their son's squeeze is part of a sect ;on the other hand ,it's a good idea to introduce the boy -who just pretends - in their congregation .

Based on a true story , it's an important movie, because it shows what lies beneath those would be "good news" .

A true story of the painful experience suffered by a good girl wanting to do right by her family whilst it dawns on her that the religious sect she was born into places a doomsday belief above simple humanity.

She and her family are subjected to sentencing by a cabal of men who are called 'elders' whenever they stray from the path of Jehovah. Wrong doers who smoke, fornicate or receive blood transfusions risk being expelled from the chosen few who believe a happy life will be theirs after Armageddon.

The strong irony of adulterous men being forgiven is in stark contrast to the wrath shown towards a teenage girl who loves her family deeply and wants to please them, yet is exposed to the normal temptations of an adolescent.

We need more films such as this in a world where increasing religious fanaticism and evangelism are threatening the intelligent evolution of man and women kind.

The girl on whom the film is based gives her stamp of approval by making a very brief appearance.

The saddest thing of all is the excruciating loneliness suffered by those who are expelled from a tightly enclosed religious sect and treated as though they are dead. What a compassionate bunch of nitwits!

A rather well-documented drama, presenting the closed society of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

It shows that "something" that they don't tell you when they knock on your door, but this is not a hateful film. The main character, a young girl, is trapped between the love for her unbeliever boyfriend and the love for her JW-family. In the Jehovah's witnesses world, these two are mutually-exclusive.

The only reason I'm giving this picture just 9 stars is because 10 are for the titans of the genre, like "Schindler's list" or "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". But these 9 stars are well deserved in my opinion.