Le mele di Adamo

Great movie. We saw it one late night not really knowing what to expect but this was over our expectations. Funny and well written dialouge, great acting and an amazing story! I laughed, almost cried, was chocked, laughed again and got some new tools to handle life with =) It is what I would call a black comedy in the same way as Blinkande Lyktor or Old men in new cars, both of them great danish movies. What caught me was the wicked story and how they really make it seem possible. I can imagine that this has taken place in a small church somewhere on the danish countryside. The dialouge is great, tons of punchlines that bubbles up the day after or even weeks after you have seen the film.

Anders Thomas Jensen may be the most interesting danish director/scriptwriter in recent times, and this movie certainly proves it. The neo-nazi Adam (Ulrich Thomsen) is sent to resocialization at a local church with a priest who can't do anything but turn the other cheek. In a religious context he relive the life and destiny of Job who's punished by God. This could very well have been an abstract and far-our movie, however Thomas Jensen has the ability to make it understandable, humorous and very entertaining, while keeping the love and respect of the religious story. He also has the ability to make the audience reflect the content, by providing black humour, quickly followed by caring tragedy. One might not always know why one laughs. Following the success of Blinkende Lygter and the not-so-great De Grønne Slagtere, Thomas Jensen places this story in between, by providing a black comedy with a great mind.

I went to see this film last night. I had no expectations going in to it, other than the fact that I really love Danish films and the actor Mads Mikkelsen. The movie really blew me away. The story is told in such a way that you find yourself laughing in the strangest places, you get really shocked in other places and the communication between the persons is extreme and wild! The acting from all of the actor's is superb!You go out of the movie theater with a smile on you face at the same time you find yourself reflecting on some of the key questions on life itself..

Go out and watch it as soon as possible!

I love Danish films and this is a wonderful movie with magnificent acting. Its so funny and sad at times. The triumph of good on evil.

This was a wonderful surprise at the (Cleveland) CIFF, a well-made dark comedy.

Adam is a neo-Nazi on a sort of Danish "probation for reprobates", where society's sinners are given a gradual re-introduction to public life under the guidance of Ivan, a parish minister. Adam needs to negotiate a "program" for his several weeks stay; despite his efforts at being arch and cynical Ivan takes him totally in seriousness, setting "baking an apple pie" as Adam's goal. A battle of wills ensues between Adam and Ivan, with wonderful comedic support from Gunnar (Nicolas Bro in another wonderful role) the ex-tennis player and Khalid (Ali Kazim) as a not-yet-reformed terrorist.

Everyone is coping here, but the central character is clearly Ivan (perhaps the funniest I've seen Mads Mikkelsen!). He comes across as "Pangloss" with a twist: "everything is for the best" in this world only in that the devil conspires to make everything a test of man's faith. He is completely deluded yet completely steadfast. This rational irrationality is perhaps the greatest challenge to Adam; no matter what he does Ivan retains his faith…to a point where the comedy simply takes another course.

Not to give away the delight of this comedy's surprises, the characters cope with life, each other, are exasperated and exasperating, consistently inconsistent…the trials of Job are well played out in this barely disguised absurdist romp.