In a Better World is a Danish film that received the Academy Award in 2011 for "Best Foreign Language Film". This is the story of two families undergoing challenges that are brought together by their two 10 year old sons. The young boys meet at school when Christian comes to the defense of Elias who is being bullied by classmates. Together they counteract the bullying not by brute strength but by brutal use of Christian's guile. Both have a missing parent. Elias' father, Anton spends much of this time as a surgeon in a refugee camp in an African Country I interpret to be Somalia or Sudan. He does come home when the boys engage in dangerous revenge. Christian's mother has died of cancer leaving him feeling abandoned at not in touch with his father who is present.
This movie begs to be discussed, beginning with the title. There are two worlds in the film.
The boys' world in Denmark and the cruel world in the refugee camp with the presence of fierce guerillas. I don't completely understand the use of the title unless it is to make us think about which is the better world.
In Danish, Swedish, Arab and English. Subtitled. Available on netfix.
4****
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