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68 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critics What's this?

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  • Summary: When Lars is cheated out of promotion to sergeant following rumors about his unbecoming behavior towards some of his men, he decides to leave the army. Back home, his overly proper suburban parents succeed in driving him nuts in record time, as they do everything in their power to sweep the embarrassing incident under the carpet. By chance, Lars runs into a small radical group of neo-Nazis led by the charismatic Michael ‘Fatso’. Initially, Lars distances himself from their ideology and methods, but fuelled by defiance against the system in general – and his parents in particular – Lars decides to join the group. Fatso immediately spots the potential in the intelligent eloquent Lars, even though his right-hand man, Jimmy, does not agree. Lars rapidly advances through the ranks and is nominated as an A member, despite the fact that this promotion should really have gone to Jimmy’s younger brother, Patrick. Lars moves out of his parents’ house and into board chairman Ebbe’s remotely situated summer cottage, which Jimmy is in the process of renovating. Despite their initial dislike of each other, the attraction between the two men soon becomes too strong to ignore, and even though they feel torn between ideology and emotions, they begin a secret relationship. Lars finally tires of all the ‘Sieg Heil’ greetings, false ideology and nightly attacks, and when he discovers the group’s views on gays are also about to reach boiling point, he tries to pull out. Jimmy now finds himself caught in a painful dilemma, for no matter what he does he will either end up betraying his younger brother, his ideology and his neo-Nazi ‘brethren’ – or his relationship with Lars. The price of betraying the group is high, but when Lars and Jimmy make their final decision, destiny deals them one last fateful hand. (Olive Films)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Stephen Holden
    90
    If you compared the two main characters with the cowboys in "Brokeback Mountain," they would be ignoble versions of Ennis del Mar (Jimmy) and Jack Twist (Lars). Like their American counterparts, they barely know what to do with their passion.
  2. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Chuck Wilson
    70
    Sounds trashy, sounds silly, but first-time director Nicolo Donato, who wrote the screenplay with Rasmus Birch, and a superb ensemble refuse to wink, resulting in a film that constantly subverts expectation.
  3. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: David Fear
    40
    Adding hot naked men to a predictable narrative doesn't equal titillating or taboo; it just means you've dressed up a messy melodrama

See all 4 Critic Reviews

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  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. lasttimeisaw
    8
    A gay romance happening inside a Danish Neo-Nazi clique, what a crack idea! The film intriguingly narrates a compassionate experience of a former Danish serviceman Lars (Thure Lindhardt, the winsome blond from ANGELS & DEMONS 2009), whose passionate courtship with Jimmy (superbly played by David Dencik from A SOAP 2006, another 8/10 film from Denmark, a frenzy macho role sheerly contrasts with his transsexual image in the latter film), who is the fervent skinhead among a gay-bashing Neo-Nazi group. (Speaking of Nazism, my downright ignorance thwart me from the knowledge of how exact the film tackles with the thorny issue, judging by the film, it is basically understated I suppose). There are abundant cinematic conflicts in the plot, although predictable, but applied deftly (by a poignant performance from the two leads and a fine-tuned handheld camera movement, it never cease trembling). An exemplary northern Europe topography and scenario imbues an obscure hue of cruelty and restlessness. The performances are solid (Morten Holst, who plays Jimmy’s younger brother, might be a tad histrionic), both the chemistry between two lead actors and the impending tragedy are brewed perfectly on time and the sex scenes are aesthetically beguiling. More encouraging, the film doesn't take either stand to beautify or disparage the Neo-Nazi image, while love happens everywhere, so does gay love. An ambiguous deus ex machina aptly averts any cliche in the over-exploited gay-theme melodrama sub-genre although melodramatic might not be a meritorious adjective for a film under the background of a sternly violent context, but also demystifies the remotely tangible target to a humane understanding and transmits a positive message to the preconception-ridden society.… Expand
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