Second Chance

Wow it was just one deep, sad thing after another. But a well acted good movie. Cross between a thriller and drama, don't watch it if you can't deal with bad things happening to babies.

A very good movie. Powerful and unsettling. Very clever plot and great cast makes this an absorbing watch. Any spoilers will definitely spoil this movie so be very careful to avoid them in other reviews.

The moral dilemmas presented here are deep and disturbing. That said, very well handled as one would expect from the Danes.

Highly recommended.

This is a really sad film, directed by one of the most prominent female Danish directors, Susanne Bier (''Brothers'', ''The Night Manager'', ''In a Better World'') and starring an all-star cast with names such as Ulrich Thomsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. There is also a brief appearance by Peter Haber, known mainly from the legendary ''Beck'' television series and the cinema adaptation of the first Stieg Larsson's novel in the ''Millenium'' trilogy (''The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo''). The story revolves around Andreas (Coster-Waldau), a police officer who is facing a tragedy in his personal life as he loses first his infant son in an accident and after awhile his wife commits suicide leaving him alone and desperate. Andreas will kidnap the son of a junkie couple and in a way, try to replace his dead offspring with the, neglected by his real parents, baby. This is a slow-burning movie which retains its suspense and interest as far as the main abduction plotline is concerned, but emphasizes on the characters' emotions and reactions, specifically focusing on Andreas tormented soul and the viewer finally identifies with a baby kidnapper, a difficult achievement for a crime film. Susanne Bier is an experienced and talented auteur who prompts the audience to ponder on the film's main themes, that is the question of what really is a good parent and the nature of grief as well as its dire consequences to the human beings. This is a film that will appeal mainly to European audiences and it is nothing like the typical films of the crime genre that the American audiences -mainly- are used to. So, if you are expecting tons of actions or high levels of suspense, better skip it. If, on the other hand, you believe that entertainment is something more than mere enjoyment, try to watch ''A Second Chance'' (original -Danish- title: ''En chance til'') pronto.

Great drama,thriller, I'm finding that these foreign films are so well crafted,...this is a hidden gem for sure.....

I think one of the main reasons this film really works is the strong performances from Nicolai Coaster-Waldau, Ulrich Thomsen and Maria Bonnevie. Nicolay Coaster-Waldau plays a husband and a father, Bonnivie his wife. The film give an example of how a "perfect life", suddenly can turn into a living nightmare. And how the wrong choices can be devastating for everyone involved. The couple really pull it off in this film. Without their strong presence and convincing characters, the film would not been as good as it actually is. They make it a strong and powerful drama. Othervise the story in the film is very simple, and I must admit, not the strongest and most interesting. It is too straight forward, with few surprises. But the actors make it worth Your while to watch it, and they manage to lift this drama. (Sorry about my English)