Adam’s Apples (Denmark/Germany, 2005)
Director: Anders Thomas Jensen
Dane Anders Thomas Jensen is the screenwriter of In China They Eat Dogs, it’s sequel Old Men in New Cars and the director/writer of The Green Butchers. As good as all three of those films are, he’s outdone himself with Adam’s Apples.
Although stylistically worlds apart, Adam’s Apples is the best film I’ve seen since 2004’s Head On. Never anything less than completely engrossing, the film delights in building up humorous goodwill and then crushing it beneath a torrent of anger. All of the religious and fascist iconography exist as beacons to help find that elusive gray area between good and evil that resides in us all. To be sure, it isn’t for everyone, but look beneath the surface and you’ll find a lot of inspirational themes at work.
With so much humour amid the carnage and a phenomenal cast, including standout performances from it’s two leads, Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, The Green Butchers, Pusher 1 & 2) and Ulrich Thomsen, you’d have to be, well, evil to miss a film this good.
Note: Yes, the poster sucks apples – get over it.
