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| 'Everyone has a secret ...' the tag-line for Jonas Elmer's In Real Life |
In Real Life is the ill-titled comeback for great Danish filmmaker Jonas Elmer (New in Town (2009)). Its much better Danish title means 'The Other Life'.
We follow three people and their search for themselves and a meaningful life: Jørgen is married with kids but decides to live out an old fantasy; Klara loses her boyfriend and struggles to move on; and Mark suddenly sees the end of his unsatisfactory life approach rapidly.
Internet dating is a recurring theme in the film, and in that way it is a modern take on relationships and life.
The film's main force, besides its sensitive, probing stories, is its exciting ensemble cast:
Uffe Rørbæk Madsen (Applaus (2009)) gives an earnest, moving performance as Jørgen, who lets himself have an affair with a much younger guy SPOILER but then regrets it. Singer Karen Rosenberg (Langt fra Las Vegas (2002), TV-series) impresses in her first meaty role, which SPOILER develops with some resemblance to Catherine Deneuve's in Roman Polanski's Repulsion (1965). Then there is Bo Carlsson (The Legacy/Arvingerne (2014-)), who also gives a stunning portrayal of a man, who in some ways hasn't grown up along with his life. And in bit parts, the film has stellar moments with talents Stefan Pagels Andersen (Mirakel (2000)), Sarah Grünewald (A Funny Man/Dirch (2011)), Claire Ross-Brown (Klovn (2005-06)), Sofie Gråbøl (Flickering Lights/Blinkende Lygter (2000)) and Dar Salim (A Hijacking/Kapringen (2012)). Comedian-actor/co-writer Rune Tolsgaard (Drengene fra Angora (2004), TV-series) is the weakest link in the strong bunch but not a complete blank.
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| Uffe Rørbæk Madsen and Thomas Ernst (Sorrow and Joy/Sorg og Glæde (2013)) in Jonas Elmer's In Real Life |
The details:
In Real Life has both a fine, fitting score (by Nikolaj Egelund (The Hunt/Jagten (2012))), a professional sound side and strong, confident visuals (by cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen (The Hunt), which suits a serious Danish film, (especially after years of literally and figuratively shaky jobs in the Dogme slipstream.)
While there is humor and warmth at play here, the film takes turns for the dark time and again, and at its conclusion, I was somewhat dismayed to see SPOILER that it once again decided to turn to (very disheartening) tragedy.
The script, by Tolsgaard and Elmer, (with consultation by Marie Høst Andersen (The 11th Hour/Den 11. Time (2007), talk-show)), is consistently realistic and quite universal. Parts of the film (like its star-studded Danish cast) will mostly be appreciated by Danes, but overall, the film is recommended for anyone interested in a contemporary relationship drama.
The film marks Elmer's return to quality, you may say, after years of films and TV that has been below the standard he set with his still not surpassed, inspired, funny B/W debut Let's Get Lost (1997), which is warmly recommended.
Watch the trailer with Sarah Grünewald's beautiful singing here
Cost: Unknown
Box office: Unknown
= Uncertainty
[But the film was definitely a flop, and most likely a big or even a huge flop, financially speaking: The film was the 2nd least seen Danish film in Danish cinemas in 2014 with just 1,139 sold tickets. Its distribution (by Svensk Filmindustri) was despairingly bad; despite its cast, which include several popular Danish figures, and the return of the endearing Elmer, the film was only shown at single events around the country as well as (for a short time) in one province cinema, while it was released as VoD simultaneously. While it is very encouraging that this film was made, it is at the same time very discouraging that it was thrown away in this fashion. The distribution strategy of In Real Life should be counted as an absolute low-point and admission of failure for the Danish film community, not to be repeated with a quality film ever again.]
What do you think of In Real Life?
And Elmer's other works?
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