Product: After The Wedding (Despues De La Boda) [NTSC/REGION 1 & 4 DVD. Import-Latin America] (2006)
Rating: 4.0
wolf in sheep's clothing
This is really a woman's film in the sense there is a lot of dissection and discussion back and forth about what people feel about situations from each and different angles. ( Frequent camera panning on the eyes alone) Jacob the newly discovered genetic father with paternal commitments in an Indian orphanage. The newly discovered daughter who moons over him despite 18yrs of happy bonding with a surrogate father of her own. Jacob who moons over her. Helen's the mother torn because the father shouldn't have told the daughter.. I don't have the time for these type of lost genetic re-unions as the catharsis strikes me as nothing more than self indulgent projection and wishful thinking. There is enough evidence that children deeply consider the parent/s they grew up with the real ones and the genetic one no more than a curiosity. Even the daughter switches back sides leaving Jacob looking like an anomalyThat said this an appealing film for people attracted by domestic/family dramas. Its well made scripted and acted and doesn't degenerate into soap opera.However Mads Mickkelsen sticks out like a very sore thumb as mis-cast in this film. There is no chemistry or likely compatability with the mother ever. He's a washed up loner who is reached by orphans. A lost soul who becomes a found soul if a lost orphan needs him. Once again I cant see he ever had a mutual attraction with Helene the staid pretty domestic goddess / mother in the film. Or the inherant emotional empathy to instantly bond with a girl-stranger despite a genetic dart.The plot re-casts him into an executive role which somehow cheers up the mis-casting but this role was made for a more daily looking guy who becomes transformed into superman by the executive role thrust upon him.Mythic in Valhalla Rising. Mean and dark in Casino Royale or Flame and Citroen. Its not a matter of being brainwashed by having him seen him cast in other roles. He is a distraction to this charming then moving drama because he looks like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Or something from Red Riding Hood. " Grand-ma what big TEETH you have! !!!!!!!!!".........