The Green Butchers

The art of the absurd is alive and thriving in current Danish cinema! Well, at least it is in this movie. Nobody in this movie are amused. They are all either annoyed or shocked, and if they aren't yet, they soon will be! It is a story of screw-ups, murder, embarrassment, dignity, and, in the end, love and redemption. The chilling, awkward humorous style is idiomatic and won't appeal to everyone, but personally I found it to have just the right fascinating mix of the bizarre and the absurd. You pity the characters from a distance, even as you dislike them up close and personal. But their story is so tragic that you find it in yourself to forgive them and be happy for them, even when they get away with murder.

This is, in my judgment, definitely the best Danish movie of the last few years.

9 out of 10.

This is, by far, the best movie I've seen in a long while. It is a wholly original and beautiful plot. It is not boring, nor is it too dramatic. The characters are tangible and realistic, but it does not take away from the story line. The fact that is not in English is most likely the final touch. The end leaves you fulfilled in a way I've never experienced in a movie before.

I wish I had found this movie earlier.

More lines.

more lines.

more lines a lot more lines c'mon, i'm done

OK, so I'm not usually one that runs out and rents foreign movies...especially foreign dark comedies. I think I can count on one hand the number of films that I found genuinely hilarious from beginning to end. This movie will be added to the short list. Even dark comedies right out of Hollywood sometimes turn me off because they require an incredibly dry sense of humor. But this one had my eyes welling up with tears. My sides hurt. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. This movie was recommended by my mother and I don't think I would have even dreamed of watching it had she not raved about it. Don't be afraid of having to read during your movie - you'll miss out on a hilariously well-acted flick.

'Taste this marinade' 'No' 'Smell the marinade' 'I smoke 20 joints a day. I wouldn't smell my hair if it was on fire'

This is the kind of humour you are up against with this movie and I love it. The Green Butchers is a wry, dark but well executed movie that doesn't act like a brash, puke 'em up, farty yank movie would with the same subject matter. Oh no sir. None of that old rubbish here. Scandinavia wins again and this time it's a Danish offering. Two butchers work for a man who is less than impressed by their efforts so they go it alone and open their own butchers shop to escape his scathing criticisms and earn some self respect. The opening doesn't go well. Then there is an accident. Then there is a modicum of success. Then there is a lot of success, But, because of this there has to be another accident to keep up with supply and demand. People disappear. But the meat is so good. Do you see where I'm going with this.? Not one spoiler will there be in this review. I gave this movie 9/10. Why not the full 10? I hear you ask. Nothing is perfect in this world that's why. But The Green Butchers comes mighty close in my humble opinion. Get it people and enjoy. Oh by the way CANNIBLISM is a part of this movie. Even if it is by default. =-)

One of the recent American television cult favorites has been Hannibal. Mads Mikkelsen has brought a new look and style to the show as the title character—and he and the TV series are a bit different in style and tone than the films. This isn't at all a bad thing…and Influx has been following the show for some time. While I am NOT a die-hard fan of the show, my daughters are and insist on watching it and wonder why I am not equally excited about the show. As for me, I like Mikkelsen—but I prefer him in films. He's done quite a few brilliant and highly inventive Danish films, such as After the Wedding, A Royal Affair and The Hunt (all of which were nominated for Oscars for Best Foreign Language film). However, I finally found something unusual—a movie with Mikkelsen that is sort of like a warm-up for his later role as Hannibal Lecter. And, it seems like a natural for fans of the TV series to watch.

The Green Butchers is a very, very strange film that I did enjoy. It's about two rather asocial guys who work at a local butcher shop. They hate their boss and decide to go into business for themselves. Svend (Mikkelsen) is the 'front man'—the guy who usually greets customers and sells them their meat. In contrast, Bjarne (Nikolaj Lie Kaas), prefers to work in the back—butchering the meat and avoiding people as much as possible. Bjarne is a complicated and sad man—late in the film you learn why he is so withdrawn. Svend, on the other hand, just wants to be a success and for people to like him. In the meantime, however, their business appears to be failing—and their grand opening is a catastrophe.

An unexpected death turns out to be just what the boys needed! When their electrician accidentally freezes himself to death in their walk-in freezer, Svend panics and tries to hide the evidence. He is worried this accidental death would be bad for business and decides to get rid of the body in an unconventional way—he butchers him, marinates the meat and sells it to customers. And, the meat is a HUGE hit—such a bit hit that all evidence of the accidental death is soon consumed. But, with the prospect of losing all these new customers, Svend makes the practical, yet nasty decision to procure another body….and so on and so on.

The strangest part about this film is that it's really NOT a comedy. I had just assumed it was a dark comedy like Eating Raoul but instead found that it was a drama….and a very light drama at that. While you'd think that the film would be disgusting and bloody, it actually isn't and the two murderers (especially Bjarne) are rather likable anti- heroes. In fact this is the most amazing thing about the film—it's about cannibalism but is neither a comedy nor a horror film. On top of that, the ending is very, very strange…and a bit funny in a very off- beat sort of way. Not a brilliant film but very inventive and strangely likable. Plus, if you cannot get enough of Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal, perhaps this will help feed your need for more.