Hvordan vi slipper af med de andre

Consider this movie a dark comedy with something to think about! When you expect to watch a movie that is realistic and probable, think twice. This movie is simply not like that. This movie is a satire, and it contains a lot of Danish humor, comparable with movies like Adam's Apples, The Green Butcher etc. You either like the dark absurdity that usually comes with Danish films, or you don't... It's definitely a matter of taste here! I for myself have enjoyed the movie as it was: with unexpected turns and characters that are very much overdone (but all this is clearly as it should be, it has a clear function in this movie). The underlying political ideas - as they could be when driven to extremes - give the audience something to think about! Just how far can a society go in getting rid of the others...?!

This is a brilliant idea. There are a number of great performances in here: Mr. Pilmark's, Ms. Mieritz's, and Ms. Tiemroth's among others. There are a number of clever writing twists-- surprises popping up later in the film. Save for one absurd image in the beginning, and the trope of interviews in different classrooms of a school, there is nothing comic here. Mr. Pilmark's character's smile on the cover of the video is misleading. Still, in the time of America's 45th president and in a time of compassion fatigue, what we do with the intractible problems of the least of us is worthy of discussion. This is not light though, and it is not funny.

We have a group of actors that know each other quite well, which means that they interact in an uncanny natural way. We also have a story that deals with a very real problem. Should the lowest and laziest be allowed to drag the rest down, or do we need to raise our expectations and demands? The satire is very much on point, and it works because it is far enough off that it works - it is still laughable. The humour is dark and as it should be, but probably not what non-Danish viewers will get right away. The production could have been better and less cluttered, and the audio is not done right. Obviously they wanted it gritty, but this just strikes me as if someone in audio production did not know what he/she was doing. The biggest let-down of this was not the film itself, it was its lack of promotion. It was non-existent at the time of the release.

I loved this film, it made me laugh and even moved me. As a satire it really works because first of all, it's just plain funny, and it deals with a relevant issue - the imperfections of our welfare society. You can't help getting carried away by the film's argument outrageous as it may be. As a story it works too, because the main characters turn out to have problems you can sort of believe in the middle of the craziness. (Also, most of the acting is really good.) I liked that you are not provided with a clear answer or solution. The film just points out the basic inhumanity of looking at others as completely separate from oneself - that's how I saw it anyway. I do think that is a universal issue so I recommend this movie to everyone, even though the characters in it may be very Danish.

"How We Get Rid Of The Others" is a confused movie, confused as in it does not really know what direction to take, never really sure whether to be deep and serious or flat and funny. This is a shame, because some of the elements work quite well. Søren Pilmark does a remarkable job playing the military commander and Søren Fauli plays the weak confused socialdemocratic politician perfectly, although it makes you wonder if it's really possible for such a spineless and retarded individual to be elected into parliament, but that isn't very important. What is however important is the character of Sidse/Belinda, who fails desperately. The idea of an academic person accidentally making up "The Copenhagen Criterias" which are the catalyst for the movie and then later on regretting it to start an underground organization to curb it's effects is neither realistic or funny and the double crossing girl comes off as an irrelevant, unbelievable and annoying character that shouldn't have made it to the storyline.

Folkes discovery of his biological parents is another side-story that just confuses and distracts from the main story.

So what works well? The relationship between Folke and Major Christian is brilliant, as is Christians numerous interviews with questionable citizens. I would have appreciated an interview scene with all of the citizens in the gym hall and perhaps a third character caught in the middle between Christian and Folke.

If you can forgive some crude acting and some lousy scenes, consider renting this title and appreciate the amusing and witty qualities that it does have.