Bleeder

A complete surprise. Had no idea what I was getting into. As fine as anything by Scorcese, with some similarities to Taxi Driver. An enormous breath of fresh air compared to the awful Hollywood machine. The scenes are real, intense, sometimes violent, always moving. Geniune. This film maker is the real thing. The acting is impeccable. I personally don't care much for symbolism, meta-cinema or the like, but instead prefer a real and dramatic experience. This movie provides all of the above--and that is a rare treat. Someone compared this to Kubrick--there is some of that but what is really different here is the emotion. Kubrick is always (or almost always) dry, sterile, unemotional, stiff. Bleeder is moving--it even at times has some of the emotionalism of a melodrama, but it always remains a drama.

I remember seeing Bleeder way back in 2004, it was one of the first international films I saw via a DVD shop in UK.

I was becoming incredibly pi$$ed off and fed up with Hollywood mainstream crap at the cinema and on DVD so I ventured into international cinema.

After I saw Bleeder, I felt a wave of awesomeness go over me. I felt alive. It was one of the best films I'd seen in YEARS.

It was so refreshing and meaningful. Packed with substance.

I was very impressed with the acting.

Since then, I've become a big fan of Refn, and I absolutely love the Pusher trilogy.

Its a shame gems like Bleeder never get the recognition they deserve, but plastic hollow over rated Hollywood $hit does.

Top film. See it!!!!!

So I travel from Sweden to Copenhagen to see a movie, paying about 15 bucks for the trip, and another 10 for the movie. 25 bucks for a movie???? Was it worth it????

Damn right it was, this is Nicholas Winding Refn´s second feature, and after his masterful debut: Pusher I really had my hopes up. And boy was it good.

The tempo is a little slower than Pusher, but it really suits the movie. It´s got great dialogue that kinda reminded me of Clerks in some places, especially the scenes in the videostore. The theme of the movie in my mind is about men, and our problems with talking to each other and to women. Sure there are scenes with really disturbing and realistic violence. But I feel it has more in common with John Cassavettes, than Abel Ferrara and Martin Scorsese that I think were refn inspirations for Pusher.

The actors are brilliant all around, especially Mads Mikkelsen who does a fantastic performance as a filmgeek, with major problems when it comes to talking and being around girls. And Kim Bodnia gives a really introspective performance that proves his status as one of europe´s if not the whole worlds best actors.

All in all a very powerful, and intense movie that is a must see

When Nicolas Winding Refn gets Zlatko Buric, Mads Mikkelsen and Kim Bodnia together a good movie is a must. Please, disregard narrow IMDb genre classification of the film as "Horror" or "Thriller" as it is the way the movie looks to some five year old child who has not understood anything seen. This art work is a modern life drama colored by David Lynch camera and portrayed by spirit of Bunuel. Excellent art work by well known Danish film school. I said "modern" drama since the movie is getting into the core of the present social structure of the modern world. It shows a depressive slice of our little lives that are being cultivated in silence of violence, loneliness, alienation and lost life course, leading to self-destruction. Dark as our presence. One more good job for Nicolas Winding Refn.

BLEEDER is the follow-up to Nicolas Winding Refn's Danish debut, PUSHER. I think it's a better film in every respect, even if it is less well known: the story, of family dysfunction and human relationships, is brimming with power, and by turns tragic, bleak, and ultimately devastating.

The story sees Leo (Kim Bodnia, of PUSHER fame), attempting to adapt to family life when he finds out his girlfriend's pregnant. Along the way, he continues uneasy friendships with the racist Louis, his girlfriend's brother, and Lenny (Mads Mikkelsen), a loner who works at the local video shop. Of course things eventually become very dark indeed, and more harrowing and shocking than they were in PUSHER.

Refn elicits some excellent performances from his cast, not least from Bodnia, who is quietly terrifying throughout this. A glimmer of hope and humour comes from the presence of the outstanding Mikkelsen, who is my favourite character; the video shop setting allows for plenty of cultural references for film fans. Watch out for PUSHER's Zlatko Buric as another friend. By the end, I felt like I'd done ten rounds in the ring: BLEEDER is that kind of film, and excellent with it.