In 1940, as industrialist Karl Skov (Jesper Christensen) and his wife Eva (Bodil Jørgensen) celebrate 25 years of marriage, the Germans invade Denmark, forcing the affluent family to make difficult decisions. A sweeping family saga, a little bit along the lines of Downton Abbey and perfect for that audience. Well acted and handsomely staged account of the occupation, even if the film might have benefited from a less polished approach. As it reaches its climax, we also realize that nothing will be resolved until the sequel comes. A rare case where a TV series might have been a better idea.
2020-Denmark. 152 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Anders Refn. Screenplay: Anders Refn, Flemming Quist Møller. Cast: Jesper Christensen (Karl Skov), Bodil Jørgensen (Eva Skov), Mads Reuther (Aksel Skov), Gustav Dyekjaer Giese, Sara Viktoria Bjerregaard Christensen, Lue Dittmann Støvelbaek…Peter Eggers, Claes Malmberg, Melinda Kinnaman.
Trivia: Original title: De forbandede år.