Lumières dansantes

Personally, what I do is try to watch a movie without having heard any details on the storyline before - so, I am not going to spoil anything here.

'Flickering Lights' is a well-made comedy about a couple of gangsters & despite of its partly violent scenes, it also shows human weakness and pain. Furthermore the movie tells the viewer how the four guys met and why their childhood experience made it impossible for them to lead a normal adolescence.

Compared to 'i kina spiser de hunde' (In China They Eat Dogs) which was also written by Anders Thomas Jensen, I think that 'Flickering Lights' deals with the personal tragedies in a better way and reaches to touch the viewer while 'i kina..' did not really moved me.

If you liked Las Van Trier's 'Idiots' and Vinterberg's 'Festen' (Celebration) you will recognize a couple of actors (Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Thomas Bo Jarsen, Ulrich Thomsen) - and although 'Flickering Lights' is not a DOGMA movie, a certain atmosphere made me remember the typical Swedish/Danish movie aura.

Great film - give it a try when you are in the mood for something different than the stereotypical Hollywood movie.

I saw 'Blinkende Lygter' after watching first 'Adam's Apple's' and then 'The Green Butchers', so effectively in reverse order! The thing that captivates me so much about Jensen's writer/directorial outings is the wonderfully individual black humour he brings to the screen. It took me three movies to realise that he reminds me a great deal of Beat Takeshi, in fact this movie - "Flickering Lights" - reminded me a lot of "Sonatine", my favourite of all Beat's movies. The theme was very similar; a criminal gang run away to live in seclusion in the countryside and come to a better understanding of who they are and what they really want. There's a gentle, subtle affection that bonds the four men together - despite their violent occupation and chaotic lives - and the sense that they all share a common need for family, stability and purpose they together they realise they can provide for each other.

More than anything I thought this was a wonderful film about male friendships and how important it is for men to support each other in their endeavours. And, although Torvild initially goes off selfish and half-cocked in his plans, as the dad of the group he ultimately gets everyone what they need and keeps his family together. Heartwarming and hilarious. One I will re-watch many times.

"Blinkende Lygter" ('blinking lights') is extremely original in its odyssey through several genres; starting off as a gangster movie, passing close by a road movie (until the car breaks down), and then completely shifting pace and content in a very surprising and humorous way. Although criticized for its violent scenes, BL is actually a highly philosophical study of the various faces of violence, from the off-hand unnecessary (although not gratuitous) violence, to acts of violence accepted by society. First of all, the dialogue is so funny that the movie has to be seen at least twice if one is to catch the very serious message that lies beyond. One of the best Danish films ever. Anders Thomas Jensen is definitely a filmmaker to look out for.

A lot of the humour in this extremely funny movie cannot be translated into English. One example: At one point Stefan is caught crying while reading a poem from the book that lends it title to the entire film. This causes some scepticism among his friends, who asks him exactly what he is reading. He then says that the book is written by one "Ove Ditlevsen". To a danish audience it is obvious, that the book actually is by the famous danish (female) author "Tove Ditlevsen", but none of our heroes seems to know her. The sensitive Stefan is backed up by Thorkil who insists that "Actually Ove Ditlevsen is one of this country's finest authors".

This is one of the funniest movies I have seen for a long time - and yet with a depth you would not expect from a movie like this. This bunch of criminal outcast with personal problems and skeletons in their childhood cupboards manage to form a true friendship and community far from the environment they are used to.

The movie is stacked with strong action and actors: Pilmark is over the top as raw, but yet soft gangleader, Mikkelsen as psycho-gunman, Thomsen as TV-drama-loving drug-addict and Lie-Kaas as the eternal snack-eating soft guy. Even the supporting cast does a good job - just to mention Thestrup as the weapon-crazy farmer and Helmuth as movie history's greatest alcoholic doctor - and do not forget Graaboel as Lie-Kaas annoying and "normal" girlfriend.

Funniest scene: shooting cows in the forest - my God, I was rolling on the floor of laughter.