Denmark

Rafe Spall gives a memorable performance in this bittersweet fish-out-of-water comedy drama. It slowly dawns on me after 10 minutes that Adrian Shergold also helmed Funny Cow, one of the bleakest dramas of recent years. He's a master at constructing compelling dramas with characters trapped in joyless personal prisons. In this case it's Herb, a 34-year-old Welshman with a knack for fixing things. But he can't get a proper job, has an estranged son; he's lost his welfare; has a neighbour who plays incessant music, and Herb's diet consists mainly of cheap beer and mushy peas. Little wonder he's so depressed. After discovering Danish convicts live a luxurious life he could only dream of, Herb decides to travel across Europe with one goal: to get arrested and sent to a Danish prison. However, after meeting Mathilda, a local barmaid, and a lovable stray dog who won't leave his side, Herb realises that prison may not be his only chance to get the life he hoped for. Though the film could become a generic romcom, with Herb drifting into a ready made family, it's not quite so formulaic as that. As the tale unfolds, it's hard not to hope Herb will do the right thing, but he's a troubled soul. To paraphrase Springsteen, like a dog that's been beat too much, he's damaged by circumstances, and those wounds don't heal overnight. As with Funny Cow, Richard Hawley provides some terrific songs, and Jeff Murphy's script never strikes a false note. With a star-making turn from Simone Lykke as Mathilda, this really gets under the skin. At 91 minutes it never outstays its welcome, and the fact it left me hungry for more is testament to its success. Rafe Spall has long been one of showbusiness's most in-demand actors, and this is one of his finest turns to date. Highly recommended.

There's no real arc or story to speak of and in lesser hands this would have been a molten dumpster fire but Spall manages to drag it over the line with a decent supporting cast. If you're waiting for sometime heartwarming to happen you'll be waiting a long time.

Well, ive been often thinking the same thing, that if i was a bum or hobo, lurking the streets here in fennoscandia, i wouldve done my best to get through the heavens gates of nordic imprisonment, just to get food and relaxation, some money and steady rythmm of life. looser you might think, but norwegian prisons really bake bread up under your arms to make you float through the system of punishment, and if the tv doesnt work, then youll be transfered to halden kretsfengsel, the heavenly oyster in noirwegian prison system.

so the reason for the welshman to go to denmark to break the law for a vacation in danish prisons are well delved over, and for sure a fat thought of good food and bed

its a film with lots of humble laughs, on behalf of a depressed person that really lives in a hassle. the main actor has this''marsian''surprised look that really tells half the story. it could have been even better elaborated how crime are dealt with up here among the trolls and vetter in the lands of the midnight sun, but if you just wanna creep in next to a depressed and repressed male welshman, then watch denmark.

the grumpy old man who has forgoitten half of the glossary learnt at school gives a recommend .

Loved it, it's not what I would class as a true comedy where the writer is trying to make the audience laugh out loud, it's a cute comedy and that's probably a bad attempt at trying to pigeon hole it. The amazing thing is though and somewhat spooky is I've often said to friends if I have nothing, no job, no home, no money, I would do exactly the same as what this guy attempted do only I would choose Norway because some prisons there the inmates have the luxury of cells which more or less fit the description of apartments. Sometime in the future I will watch it again and I if you get the chance I think you could a lot worse than to watch this also/

This movie will frustrate you make you happy and sad it's a genuine tragic comedy and very close to the truth