A second chance

Acting-wise, it's probably the strongest line-up we can find up north. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones is a very big draw, and add to that Ulrich Thomsen from Banshee and Nikolaj Lie Kaas, who is currently leading the Nordic crime quadralogy, whose latest effort, The Purity of Vengeance, opens in cinemas in just four days. A Second Chance is a stiffing, uncomfortable, authentic drama-thriller that especially for parents (mothers) will not be very enjoyable to watch. The film focuses on two families, one drug addicted socially deprived, the other well off but their luck is not very good. I must say that it is a really powerful film that is not afraid to show scenes that we don't normally see in cinema – the scene where the toddler is lying on the toilet covered in feces and urine was more than shocking. The direction, writing and acting were flawless and supported with a very bleak atmosphere. 80% (21/01/2019)

I would definitely not recommend the film to pregnant women, expectant mothers, aspiring mothers, or mothers trying to conceive, as the realistic mannequin of a dead infant rolls in front of the camera quite often; I was disappointed that underneath the initial shock value there is basically a pretty conventional drama. The problem is the admittedly quite interestingly paced but totally chewed to the bone script, which doesn't really do more than move the plot along in any one scene. Thus, the individual characters are merely variables in a geometric proof, into which we don't see more than the multiple-day plot needs. It's the protagonist who takes the brunt of it, and he's not easy to relate to because we don't know if he's a sensitive, loving father and husband or a pragmatic sociopath. Which it seems was not the intention. Some may find it the opposite of a coherent screenplay; I found it a poor cinematic adaptation of one. (17/05/2016)

Défi ciné 2018 : le Danemark. Voici sans aucun doute l’un de mes favoris et je le mets directement dans le haut du classement. Déjà au bout de dix minutes, je me disais que les dix minutes en question étaient meilleures qu’au moins quatre-vingts pour cent de toute la production américaine. C'est que les Danois savent s'y prendre et règnent en maîtres dans les pays scandinaves. Susanne Bier a encore mis au point un excellent drame psychologique qui rivalise avec de nombreuses tragédies antiques. Aux côtés de Lars Von Trier, elle confirme sa position sur le piédestal danois, mais elle peut sans problème se mesurer aux grandes pointures européennes et internationales également. Le pari sur la star de Games of Thrones a parfaitement fonctionné, Coster-Waldau joue comme si sa vie en dépendait en livrant une prestation remarquable, et Nikolaj Lie Kaas et Ulrich Thomsen sont, comme on pouvait s’y attendre, tout aussi bons. L’un des meilleurs films de l’année. (15/04/2018)

Quite an interesting story about how one detective gets involved in a case involving a family of drug addicts and ends up taking away more from it than one might expect at first glance. This really isn't something you see every day. I found the film original and well acted, with Nikolaj Lie Kaas in particular showing his versatility. Very raw yet accessible. (15/11/2016)

An emotionally intense drama with a strong ethical overlay and a completely insane plot involving a child swap. Nicely filmed, brilliantly acted, and the ethereal music also leaves nothing to be desired. However, it's only for strong-hearted viewers; some shots of the neglected baby are truly shocking in terms of humanity... (85%) (30/05/2020)