Été 1992

This is one of those movies you expect Disney to make weaving the twin draws of sports and human interest. If someone tried to make this story up, they would be criticized (rightly) as a schmaltzy writer. But since this is a true story, bring on the popcorn.

This is the true story of the Danish football team of 1992, which entered the Euro '92 tournament on a technicality (Yugoslavia was banned from international competition due to its complicity in the Balkan War). They proceeded to play lackluster football until they managed a stunning upset of France in its third game to make the semifinals. The Euro '92 only had 8 teams in 2 brackets, unlike Euro'16 which had 24 teams in 6 brackets. I won't spoil the ending (but they win the whole damn thing after beating Netherlands and then Germany in the finals). This team is revered in Denmark much as the 1980 Olympic US Men's Ice Hockey team and we get to see why.

The most compelling element was watching the evolution of the coach, Richard Moller-Nielsen, from a stubborn details man to a more impassioned leader. The heartbeat of the movie comes from the true story of Kim Vilfort, the veteran midfielder, whose daughter Line was suffering from cancer during the tournament. He leaves the team to return to her bedside and is then compelled by his family to return to the tournament where he scores the finishing goal in its upset win against Germany. Sadly, unlike a fictionalized movie, his daughter passes away soon thereafter.

Solid acting all around, and the actors do a commendable simulation of real football players. The director weaves in real footage and in- match commentary of the matches so we get a real appreciation of why this team is so loved in Denmark.

Covers the most memorable moments of the championships and is quite funny. It was a thrill to watch. The European Championships of '92 is still one of the most memorable tournaments of the Danish national team. Didn't really expect much from the movie, as I felt I knew the story already, but I learned a thing or too about some of the players, anyway. Also the actors act very similar to the real persons as far I as I remember them correctly. Especially Ulrich Thomsen, playing Richard Møller Nielsen, who unfortunately was never given enough credit for this fantastic performance. The scenes were never too long and I ended up almost thinking that it was the real tournament and real players that I was watching.

Against all odds Denmark won the 1992 European championship in football. As a matter of fact stating "against all odds" could even seem to be an understatement.

Denmark didn't even qualify but got the chance to participate when Jugoslavia couldn't play because of a civil war.

Michael Laudrup, by many considered the best player, had left the team because of the coach, Richard Møller, who had a totally different vision of how to play football than him.

When the tournament started Denmark played the first match 0-0 and lost the next.

But then everything was turned around......

Such a great (national) story has been depicted in this movie. It follows the events fairly chronological and from the viewpoint of the very unpopular coach Richard Møller. The movie both tries to be entertaining but also to pay some respect to Richard Møller.

Several elements are being used to dramatize the story. We focus on one of the key players, Kim Vilfort, whose daughter is sick with cancer and how this affects the team.

Further we are shown some of the choices Richard Møller makes in a way that we understand that if he doesn't get success with these choices then he will either loose his job or risk total mockery.

When we actually watch the matches they have been inter cut between the real footage and the actors performing them. I think it was a wise choice to inter cut as the atmosphere permeating the critical situations simply cannot be reproduced in any kind of acting.

When the apparent choice has been made to let the movie, in a strict sense, follow the actual events of the European championship 1992 then there is less to comment upon. The errand, above the wish to entertain, as stated before is to let Richard Møller get some of the respect that he might never got.

So all in all the movie gets the job done and can be seen as a kind of historical sports movie that stays true to the circumstances of the European championship 1992.

Even though the original story is so great, that it could have been written by H.C. Andersen, I would still have liked if the director had chosen to focus more on some specific themes (like the conflict that existed between Richard and the players) instead of choosing the easy one - the chronological story.

Regards Simon

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The true story about an underdog country in 1992, not qualifying for the European championship ending as number two in the qualifying round, but due to the civil war in Yugoslavia, Denmark was sent to the EC, with only two weeks of training an preparing for the tournament. The rest is history and Denmark won with all odds against them.

The casting of all players, such as the Laudrup brothers, Schmeichel, Willfort, Faxe, etc. Is great, but most remarkable is the casting of Ulrich Thomsen as Richard Møller Nielsen. This is one of the best performances in my opinion he has made and this paying homage to a great Danish coach.

I feel like every dane remember they were on that day Denmark won in 92. Great nostalgia trip even for someone whom wasn't born at the time and cares little about football!