To verdener

I read about this movie and thought it seemed interesting, but it still far exceeded my expectations. Inspired by a true story, "Worlds Apart" is a superior drama that delves into one of the world's most intriguing religious groups and the universal theme of divided loyalty.

17-year old Sara Dahl (Rosalinde Mynster) is a beautiful but somewhat introverted student who lives in a small Danish town with her parents, Andreas (Jens Jørn Spottag) and Karen (Sarah Boberg), and her younger siblings, Elisabeth (Sarah Juel Werner) and August (Jacob Ottensten). All are active Jehovah's Witnesses. Early on, Andreas confesses that he has committed adultery. Karen decides to divorce him, but because he is repentant, the children oppose the divorce and decide that Karen should be the one to move out, which she is.

Shortly afterward, Sara and her friend Thea (Catrine Beck) attend a party in which Sara meets a 23-year old musician named Teis (Johan Philip Asbæk). She falls for him, but becomes very drunk. Teis walks her home and the two stay in touch.

They soon get together again and while walking through a mall, Sara is approached by a young man revealed to be her older brother, Jonas (Thomas Knuth-Winterfeldt). The two have a brief and curiously awkward conversation. After Jonas leaves, Sara explains that Jonas was expelled from the JW organization because of reading an improper book and therefore is to be shunned by his family. Sara adds that she only spoke to Jonas because Teis was there. Teis, who is non-religious, quickly becomes hostile toward Sara about the JW belief that only JWs are saved.

Teis finds Sara at school shortly afterward and apologizes for criticizing her faith. The two steadily grow closer and one night at a café, Sara loses track of time and misses her train. She spends the night at Teis' apartment where the two sleep in the same bed and kiss but don't have sex or even undress.

Still, Andreas is very upset and takes her to see the church elders, all of whom are middle aged men. Seemingly led by a man named John (Anders W. Berthelsen), she is questioned about Teis, including whether he touched her breasts or not. The movie doesn't show that act, but Sara says that it happened. The elders do accept her claim that the two didn't have sex and allow her to remain in the organization, but order her to end her relationship with Teis through a letter.

She does so but feels bad about it, especially after learning that Teis has called her several times since receiving the letter but that her family hasn't told her. She asks Andreas for permission to talk to Teis in person. Andreas reluctantly agrees and shortly after Sara visits Teis, he surprises everyone by attending a service at Sara's church. Andreas and John are suspicious and John offers to refer Teis to another JW church. But Teis insists that he wants to hear about God the same way that Sara does. John reluctantly accepts that and gives Sara permission to see Teis provided the two don't have sex.

Teis' faith initially appears to be sincere and Sara's grows as well. She quits school (seemingly some kind of post-high school institution) to become a pioneer (door-to-door missionary). But right after a large JW convention, Teis and Sara have sex for the first time. From there, Sara's faith steadily fades.

Sara says that she's moving in with Karen but actually moves in with Teis. Karen covers for Sara and also secretly sees Jonas. Teis introduces Sara to his non-religious parents, Vagn (Hans Henrik Voetmann) and Jette (Charlotte Fich). Vagn treats Sara cordially but Jette spews out a long list of anti-JW comments. Sara and Teis leave and Teis seems embarrassed by his mother's behavior but reveals to Sara that he's concluded that he doesn't believe in God after all.

Eventually, Sara's façade falls apart. Elisabeth, while visiting Karen, notices that no clothes are in Sara's supposed closets. That leads to Sara being given an ultimatum from the elders – leave Teis or be expelled.

I won't reveal her decision but I will say that my only significant criticism of the movie is that a character dies because of refusing a blood transfusion. That strikes me as a forced attempt to emphasize one of the most distinctive parts of JW doctrine. However, that character's funeral is very powerfully used to set up a hard hitting climax.

This is one of my three favorite foreign movies, along with "Noi" ("Nói albínói") from Iceland and "Kissed by Winter" ("Vinterkyss") from Norway – what is it about the Nordics?! The performances in "Worlds Apart" are outstanding, the screenplay is very compelling, and there's plenty of great scenery for anyone who appreciates small town Denmark, as I do.

JWs are widely ridiculed and dismissed as being brainwashed. But despite coming from one of the most secular countries in the world, this movie is surprisingly balanced in its portrayal of JWs. While their beliefs and tactics are brought into question, the movie portrays JWs as, above all, human beings. None are demonized and all are portrayed as well intentioned and in some cases compassionate, even if misguided. And they even evoke sympathy because of the torment that stems from their dilemma between loving someone – whether romantically or familially – and the fear of going against the teachings of the church and maybe even losing their salvation.

I've read dozens of message board postings related to this movie and almost all posters who identify themselves as former JWs describe the movie as very realistic and emotional. And even most with no ties to the JW church can relate to the aforementioned universal theme of divided loyalty.

Unrated by the MPAA but very PG-13 level, this is one of those rare movies that I strongly recommend to everyone.

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.

I was moved deeply nearly to tears watching this film on SBS 2 last night. The film deals with important issues in such a sincere and sensitive way. The film shared a great deal with my personal experience to choose between my faith and my now (ex) fiancé. An impossible decision that has brought a life time of pain and regrets. It is a terrible dilemma for a young person to face these issues. I am glad this important and wonderful film was made because I expect many people have had to go through this and it is heartbreaking, but helpful to see how others manage the situation. Always be true to yourself. We can find the Lord Yahweh anywhere, you don't have to be in a church. As long as you obey His commandments, we need His guidance and discernment when it is not always His will but Mans religion which is different. Good Luck to all young people to be strong and find happiness without control and brainwashing.

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" .

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...