Den Du Frygten

I found this 2008 Danish film a fitting title to dissect after how I've been feeling the past couple days; again realizing that despite pruned efforts at attaining what it is I want, that I can only do my best by planting the seeds of love and sacrifice towards my dreams and then gracefully surrendering to the Universe/God to do the rest. Some things are just out of our control, it isn't wise to go against the flow of the river. And so I will keep at it, be patient and expect great things even when things seem to have gone dim. For one day it's cloudy and the other there is brilliant sunshine.

Fear Me Not wasn't the most ground-breaking film; however the way things panned out despite its simplicity by nature it made for a very thrilling and powerful film. Mikael the main character played by Ulrich Thompsen is a middle aged man, who is married and has a teenager daughter and to the outside world a supposedly splendid life. They live in a lovely suburb of Copenhagen, with great windows and the scenic view of a lake which he and his brother-in-law often likes to go rowing on; he is on a leave from his job and he feels as though he needs a change of pace in his life; he feels as though this 'picture perfect' life has become boring and time has suddenly passed him by.

His brother-in-law Frederik played by Lars Brygmann works in the hospital and tells him of clinical trials for a new anti-depressant drug. Mikael feels that this is his way out of boredom and signs up to be a part of hospital's guinea-pig group. He doesn't notice changes at first, but then he feels that he has never seen life clearer and the pills are allowing him to become more confident in acting out in bizarre and even violent ways in which he would never dare to act on before.

The film is slow-paced, sprinkled with divine cinematography and country-side splendor and as the story progresses, writers Kristian Levring and Anders Thomas Jensen manage to make its audience squirm in their seats with every absurd thing done by seemingly the loving and stable father and husband Mikael. I found it interesting that Mikael once mentioned 'The Hulk' to his daughter when he first met her boyfriend Tobias, and he himself had been struggling with this hidden identity as well as anger that he masked for 20 years since leaving the countryside to live in the city.

The climax of the entire film would have to be the point when Mikael has unquestionably spiraled out of control and he is alerted to something he would fear about the pills he has been taking.

Not a bad film to watch or be a part of; a little drama, a little psychological thriller; not a bad recipe for a mesmerizing and thought-provoking film.

Gooo Denmark! J