Winter Brothers (2017) User Reviews

Dark, Surreal and Wacky; Kafka Would Smile

[Blue-Grotto · 7/10 · 4 October 2017]

Everyone has a little darkness inside, they just may be too boring to know it. While brothers Emil and Johan are accustomed to the constant roar of rock crushing machines, relentless and filthy mining work, bone chilling cold and foul air, they have different coping mechanisms. Johan merely shrugs off the bleakness and monotony. Emil goofs off and routinely slips into a moonshine induced fantasy world revolving around their pretty neighbor Anna, rifle skill training videos and stealing chemicals to make moonshine. As the brothers argue about who has a better grip on reality, unexpected events threaten to loosen the hold that either of them have upon the truth.

This dark, surreal and wacky film alters and toys with our senses and perceptions of reality. Churning machines, explosions and blaring alarms, for instance, remove us from the comfortable cocoon of sounds that we are used to and transport us into an alternate universe. The experience is jolting, yet also enriching. It would make Kafka smile. This is what stories are supposed to do. Film actors are up to the task. While the limited setting gets tedious after a while and the dialogue could be improved, the film is intriguing and refreshing. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Quirky in an arty way

[euroGary · 6/10 · 19 October 2017]

I saw this at the 2017 London Film Festival, and indeed it is the kind of film you only ever see at festivals: slow-moving, not a lot happening, weird characters in bizarre situations... you know the drill.

The plot: immature Emil lives with his slightly more sensible brother Johan in a grotty house somewhere in Scandinavia. Emil has the hots for a comely neighbour, but it is the better-looking Johan who gets into her knickers. There's a mad old hoarder man as well. Both brothers work in a mine. They supplement their income by selling the alcoholic drink Emil brews at home, but when a colleague falls seriously ill as a result of the drink, Emil is ostracised. Perhaps he can take refuge in his soldier fantasies?

There is a definite atmosphere to this film: it is all very bleak and wintry, with washed-out colours and snowy landscapes, as well as long sequences with no dialogue. (An exception to the bleakness is the wrestling scene between the two brothers: one completely naked, the other clad only in ugly underpants. That probably was not *supposed* to be funny, but it is.) In this type of film it is hard to judge the acting, but Elliott Crosset Hove as Emil, who is in almost every scene, has a quirky charisma. This is the kind of film you have to be in the right mood to see; I liked it.

Obstinate young adult do crazy things.

[zolizolidus-35734 · 7/10 · 1 February 2018]

Emil is a very dark and aggressiv young adult that work at a limestone mine on the Danish island Zeeland. He dont respect autority and his careless behavour ends up causing harm to his co workers.

His attitude take his down a very dark path and this is his story told.

This is not a movie that will leave you feeling good so if you have bad day and want a movie that will cheer you up, stay away from this one.

The acting is very good so its an absolute worth watch movie.

From what I understand the title winter comes from the limestone dust that makes everything around it white year around.

Sparse.Great cinematography.

[WillInDenmark · 6/10 · 7 April 2023]

"Vinter Brødre" (English title: "Winter Brothers") is a Danish film that was directed by Hlynur Pálmason and released in 2017. The film is a psychological drama that follows the story of two brothers, Emil and Johan, who work in a limestone mine in a remote part of Denmark.

Overall, I found "Vinter Brødre" to be a haunting and visually striking film that is anchored by some truly impressive performances. The film's stark and isolated setting, coupled with its emphasis on the brutality of manual labor, create an intense atmosphere that makes it difficult to look away from the screen.

One of the things I appreciated most about this film was its willingness to let its visuals speak for themselves. The film is largely devoid of dialogue, which allows the audience to focus on the intricate details of the environment and the characters' body language. The cinematography is absolutely stunning, with shots of the snowy landscape and the dark, damp mine evoking a sense of otherworldliness that is both beautiful and unsettling.

The performances in "Vinter Brødre" are also noteworthy. Elliott Crosset Hove, who plays Emil, delivers a haunting and nuanced portrayal of a man who is struggling to hold onto his sanity in the face of intense pressure and isolation. Simon Sears, who plays Johan, brings a sense of vulnerability to his character that makes him an effective foil to Emil's stoicism. The two actors have a great chemistry together, and their dynamic is a highlight of the film.

That being said, there were a few aspects of "Vinter Brødre" that didn't quite land for me. While I appreciated the film's emphasis on visual storytelling, I found the overall narrative to be a bit thin. The film meanders at times and doesn't provide much in the way of resolution or closure. Additionally, some of the more surreal elements of the film (such as the recurring appearance of a mysterious white powder) felt a bit contrived and didn't add much to the overall story.

Despite these criticisms, I would still highly recommend "Vinter Brødre" to anyone who is looking for a visually striking and emotionally intense film. The film's exploration of masculinity, isolation, and the human psyche is both thought-provoking and deeply affecting, and the performances from the cast are nothing short of remarkable. If you are a fan of slow-burning psychological dramas that are willing to take risks and defy expectations, then "Vinter Brødre" is definitely worth checking out.

Darkly Dark

[westsideschl · 3/10 · 6 January 2019]

Negative: Just an approximation, but close to half the movie was headlamp lit views (well, what could be viewed) of a few limestone miners under ground. The other half is them not doing anything but standing above ground looking limestoney in their limestone dust environment, and them not doing much in their prefab housing. Finally, a few minutes allocated to a couple of minor issues of homemade booze, and who gets to have sex w/the only female around. Positive: Good view of a job nobody wants.

Stunning

[jamesmccarty126 · 9/10 · 24 February 2021]

A beautiful film that truly left me speechless! AMAZING

Dull

[iwdrake · 3/10 · 28 April 2020]

The characters and story are so inneffective, and the pacing so irritatingly drawn out and tedious, that it quite literally would have been less dull if they were to have actually filmed real miners working for two hours in the same visual style. Ultimately this film is just an excuse to have nice looking images. That is fine, the visuals are nice, but I don't feel as if I gained anything from the film in that regard that could not have been acquired from watching the trailer.

Don't waste your time on this

[JensOgVovhunden · 1/10 · 20 October 2019]

I took it off after thirty minutes, that felt like an hour.

Both the sound, the acting and the story it self suck.

There are so many good Danish movies. Watch one of them Instead.