Fathers and Mothers

I try to be spoilersless. About halftime my wife gave up, I was hoping that besides showing the current situation something will advance in.the character of anyone. But nope, maybe toward the negative sign. I see it shows this particular part of society, which is done well, but jokes don't land too well (when a scene starts I mostly knew where it will run to), so for me it was not really a comedy. As a starting point it would have been OK, but feels like it had to be quickly closed. Ending is not rushed, just feels meaningless.

If there is nothing else coming up, still watchable, but you can find better choices from Danish cinema (though not comedies recently).

Ah, parents these days. They're not what they used to be, which is unfortunate, as this scathing Danish comedy-drama aptly illustrates. Director Paprika Steen's latest serves up a wickedly funny take on a group of upscale parents who have enrolled their children in an elite private school designed to help kids maximize their potential. Despite their seemingly good intentions, however, the parents in this story unwittingly compete with one another to be the best über-moms and dads possible, particularly when it comes to showing off their degrees of social consciousness and political correctness. In the process, they ostensibly engage in polite but toxic games of one-upsmanship with each other, posing that eventually transforms into bitter arguments that violate their so-called principles and bad behavior that makes anything their kids do look tame by comparison. Much of this plays out at a getaway country weekend for the parents and their children, where a form of unconscious role reversal takes place in which the grownups show their true colors on a variety of fronts as their more mature kids look on. Some may view all this as mean-spirited, but it's actually spot-on when it comes to poignantly portraying the hypocrisy of those who believe that their you-know-what doesn't stink. Given the multiple characters and story threads at work here, the film can be somewhat episodic at times, and a few of the narrative tracks don't feel fleshed out as fully as they might have been. Nevertheless, this offering paints an authentic picture with its share of incisive dramatic moments, as well as ample biting humor that's depicted directly, by implication and even in deftly placed visuals. When viewed in this context, it's apparent that there's a lot more going on here than may superficially meet the eye. There's a great deal of insightful material tightly packed into this package, but it mostly involves things that need to be said - and, ultimately, in ways that are very much in your face. Let's hope that those who need to get the film's message indeed do considering what's at stake.

Not always satisfied with the quality of Danish films in recent decades, I must say that "Fædre og Mødre" together with "Speak no Evil" are the best Danish films since "Antichrist" (2009) in my opinion. "Fædre og Mødre" is also the best Danish comedy since "Idioterne" (1998) with which it has a rather lot in common. The acting and dialogue here are far above average even compared to international films. The film is often subtle in its message, and the humor is delivered in a relatively original way. And even though there's lots of humor, at the end of it most people will propably feel saddened. As for the actors, I would say that especially Katrine Greis-Rosenthal as the seemingly innocent and good-hearted Piv, Rasmus Bjerg as the carefree Per, and Amanda Collin as the passive-aggressive Julie stand out as exceptionelly good. But also the others are great.

As to what the film is about, I would say that it deals with the problem of when does freedom in society lead to too much suffering and idiocy, but it does it in a funny and not very politically correct way, so it never feels preachy.

Compared to "Den Tid På Året" (2018), also by Paprika Steen, this one I find much better. The dialogue is funnier and sharper, and the performances by the actors are significantly better. With "Fædre og Mødre" Paprika Steen has really shown herself to be one of the best directors in Denmark at the moment.

At first I was caught of guard, because for me "Fathers & Mothers" feels more like a satirical drama than a comedy - as was advertised. But after that I actually truly enjoyed this picture, for it is relatable in the sense that we all have met someone who behaves exactly like the characters in this film. All of the parents' hunger for success and appreciation from others show how much we can sacrifice for our own child and how much pretence we are willing to live in just for the acceptance by a community that we initially didn't want to be part of. I also appreciated how the plot didn't focus solely on the main couple of parents, but it has shown that all of the parents have different issues that are kept hidden for the sake of their place in the school community. I must also highlight the well-written script - the dialogues or monologues flowed effortlessly and smoothly. Eventhough the whole film is not that exceptional or revolutionary, I would still gladly recommend it.