"Esthers Orkester" is a Danish film that, despite its whimsical and rhyming title, fails to strike a balance between social-realistic family drama and quirky comedy. Directed by Alexander Sagmo and starring Annika Aakjær, the film revolves around the themes of loss and grief, but it struggles to find its footing amidst mixed signals.
The movie follows Esther (Annika Aakjær), a comic book writer, and Thomas (Johannes Lilleøre), an illustrator, in two parallel storylines depicting the first and last days of their relationship. In the flashback narrative, Esther, an eccentric and assertive woman, meets Thomas after a meeting at a publishing house. She impulsively chooses him to collaborate on their new joint project, a dark children's comic book called "Esthers Orkester" about death.
Thomas, a dry and hard-to-understand character, initially resists Esther's persistent and peculiar advances into his life. However, he eventually shows up at her doorstep with a bottle of wine. This encounter leads to an awkward scene where he pretends to be a plumber in front of Esther's parents (Ulf Pilgaard and Stina Ekblad).
The tone of this storyline is quirky and nonsensical, with scenes that lack coherence and purpose. Although some moments elicit occasional amusement, the exchanges between the characters are drawn out and lack momentum. Annika Aakjær, a talented comedian, showcases her charm, but the character of Esther remains underdeveloped. She serves as a manic pixie dream girl archetype, rescuing the inhibited Thomas. It is inconsistent that Esther behaves without inhibitions at the publishing house but fails to inform her parents about Thomas' involvement in her comic book, abandoning him and subsequently berating him.
The motivation behind the eventual marriage between Esther and Thomas is unclear and unconvincing.
Fortunately, the present-day storyline fares better and provides a more engaging experience. In this part, we follow Thomas as he struggles to hold things together at home with their two daughters while Esther is hospitalized. The film captures a tragicomic tone amidst the chaos that Thomas navigates while grieving for his wife. The youngest daughter, April (Holly Filipsen), tries to avoid going to kindergarten, and the moody teenager, Tessa (Emma Pi), slams doors in frustration. We witness Thomas' understandable helplessness, the girls' unhappiness, and the family's resilience, which becomes genuinely moving.
The flashbacks of the first encounter between Esther and Thomas are unnecessary, as it is evident that Esther is a unique character and that losing a wife and mother is difficult.
In summary, "Esthers Orkester" is a film that struggles to find balance between comedy and tragedy. It presents a mix of signals, attempting to blend social realism with quirky comedy but ultimately falling short of its potential. Although the present-day storyline captures a poignant and humorous tone, the disjointed flashbacks and underdeveloped characters hinder the film's overall impact.
