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...unborn children until it was finally submerged back into the bog. Unfortunately, the film’s shortcomings don’t vanish quite so readily. While “Terribly Happy” boasts an interesting premise and effective visual elements, its superficial characters render the film disappointingly mediocre...
...film begins promisingly, as baby-faced Copenhagen cop Robert Hansen (Jakob Cedergren) is relocated to the rural town. Immediately upon his arrival, Robert’s big-city customs provoke hostility from the locals. They resent everything about him—from the way he reprimands petty theft, to his preference of soda water over beer—and the plot seems to percolate with conflict. Compounding the rural-urban clash, Robert is soon sexually propositioned by a married woman, Ingelise (Lene Maria Christensen), who claims that her husband, Jorgen (Kim Bodnia), beats her. What ensues is a love-triangle...
...Terribly Happy” does feature striking cinematography and visual motifs which complement the movie’s larger themes. Early on, stark, desolate shots of the Danish countryside establish the harshness of life in Skarrild. Additionally, poignant portraits of Skarrild’s grim residents throughout the film evoke a melancholy commensurate to many of the disturbing plot points. And when Dorthe, Ingelise’s daughter, takes the baby carriage out for a walk, the creepy creaking of the wheels and the image of a solitary young girl, alone in the town’s dark streets, \foreshadow...
...self-reflection or divulges the motivations for his actions. It seems logical that as he increasingly reveals himself to be the opposite of the innocent cop he appears to be, he would simultaneously reveal the hidden personality traits which lead him to commit the atrocities he perpetrates during the film. But Robert completely maintains his superficial, ingenuous demeanor throughout the movie. This disconnect between his behavior and his bearing seems to leave Robert an empty shell, rendering the protagonist and the center of the film’s action unrelatable...
...mentions to Robert how oppressive she considers rural life in Skarrild, but the passing comment is about as far as she goes in explaining herself. Her marriage to Jorgen seems rife with complexity, as they seem to share both true affection and animosity for each other. But the film never probes beyond the surface of their relationship. Again, this lack of depth and virtual impossibility of empathizing with a crucial character leaves the movie unsatisfying...