Bille August's first film in Danish, since he won the Academy Award for best foreign language film in '89 for Pelle the Conqueror, is a lackluster affair. On the plus side it's very picturesque and the two leads (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen and Søren Sætter-Lassen) are quite good (especially Hjort Sørensen in the titular role) but we never really get under the skin of the characters.
What could've been a great exploration of one of Denmark's most famous painters, an examination of turn-of-the-century marital problems, a fine period piece or even a decent love story, is neither. It's a sub-par script with no development and, frankly, a quite boring film. Unless you're really interested in Danish painting and beautiful scenery, I'd stay clear of this one.
