Brotherhood [DVD]

This is a fine film, but not an easy one to watch. It's violent; the neo-Nazi dogmas expressed are disturbing (to say the least); you wouldn't want any of the characters as a friend. And yet you feel involved in what is going on.

The film is called "Brotherhood", and many types of brotherhood are on display: Jimmy and Patrick are brothers; Jimmy and Lars are lovers; Lars has turned his back on the military "brotherhood"; the neo-Nazi group has its own hard physical camaraderie.

None of the men here is emotionally articulate; they never talk about their feelings. If they get angry, or anxious, they simply hit something. The word "love" is never spoken by any of the characters. And yet there is a wealth of (confused) emotion in the performances. There's a marvellous scene where Jimmy meets Lars in the cattleshed where he works; the faces of the characters say everything that their words can't.

I find the final, violent plot twist quite unbelievable, but all the rest rings true. The relationship between the two lead characters is entirely believable.

This is a film that has won awards in open competitions, and not just on the LGBT film circuit. I think it's a film to watch even if you aren't gay yourself.

Fantastic film that possessed the power to first intrigue me with it premise, then disgust, worry and upset me in parts yet ultimately impress me with its sum. Not since Urbania [DVD] have I enjoyed a film in this genre so much.

We are introduced to Lars (the intense looking Thure Lindhardt) as he is being relieved from his duty with the army due to alleged inappropriate behaviour.
At a loose end he falls in with the proverbial wrong crowd - the Danish National Front. A hard-hitting group of Neo-Nazi's who actively terrorise those they deem are infecting the purity of Denmark - so, the usual megalomaniac, obsessive behaviour of the ignorant and fearful.
One of the gang members' is Jimmy (the rugged looking David Dencik) who has a brother Patrick (Morten Holst) also in the gang. Patrick is a troubled soul who is not fully accepted by the gang due to his drug taking and uncontrolled behaviour.
Being initially cool toward Lars they quickly warm to him when he "excels" in some anti-Asian behaviour.
At one meeting, their leader praises the efforts of one of the members and bestows full A membership to him. This is an obviously invidious honour to bestow as, initially believing himself to be the recipient of said honour, Patrick feels slighted when he realises it is to Lars the membership will go.
Jimmy is staying in a house he is renovating that will become a gang-house when completed. Lars is moved in with him so he can learn the ways of the Third Reich and understand fully what it means to invoke White Supremacy.
Things being awkward to begin with (largely due to the unwitting slight Jimmy's brother has received) they quickly form a bond and the obvious route unfurls...

What sets this film apart, in addition to the superb acting of the cast, is how shocking and incendiary some of scenes are. Having said that the "hate" crimes are brief and the sick ideology the gang follows is given its due as central to the story but never overdone. In short it's controversial but handled intelligently enough that it does not outright offend.

Lars' character is redeemable to an extent insomuch that he almost naively goes along with the gang at the outset, pertaining to a need to recapture perhaps that brotherhood he felt in the army, or to just have a purpose and be part of a collective, not matter how misguided that collective's vision may be.
I was never against him whilst watching the film, so to Jimmy. There is an early scene where he is talking to his brother Patrick about his drug-use etc and he conveys a real brotherly solicitousness that is endearing in its subtle performance.

The relationship between Lars and Jimmy is fractious and guarded to begin but swiftly mellows into an easy friendship despite the obvious dangers it provokes. What I found refreshing about this film is that it does not wholly rely upon the protagonists' relationship to make it interesting. That would certainly not make this a bad film if it did, but I found I was enjoying the film immensely despite the pull of it being "gay cinema".

Perhaps it is inevitable who instigates the brothers' downfall and the gang has the typically belligerent response. This is where the film for me began to show signs of not being cohesive - either that or I missed some references - and I am still undecided as to whether or not the ending disappointed me.
That being said, the fact I am still wondering about it is testament to the power of the film and I would not lose any sleep recommending it highly.

Resentful and bitter at having been passed over for promotion in the army, Lars (in his mid-30s) resigns his commission. He renews contact with some old friends who are involved with a proto-Nazi group, who oppose immigration in general, and Muslim presence in Denmark in particular. Initially, Lars resists involvement with the group, despising its typical thoughtless thuggery. Directionless, however, he soon becomes caught up in the sociability it offers.

Increasingly at odds with his parents, Lars takes up residence with another group member, Jimmy. Jimmy, also ex-army, and a few years Lars' senior, resents Lars - but part of this resentment is the basis of the courtship ritual that soon begins. The tension builds excruciatingly, as the two men are increasingly drawn to one another, yet constantly battle against the fascist ideology by which they have sworn to live.

BROTHERHOOD (Danish, with English subtitles) is a timely film, set against the backdrop of the insipid anti-immigration racism that is gaining alarming momentum throughout Western Europe. One of the film's key strengths is perhaps its invocation of a Lars who had no strong sensibilities in that direction at the outset, and for whom the patriot-nationalist-racist continuum was a far-off horizon. Its increasing immanence attests not to 'ideological beliefs', but to the collective intensities of community... the uniforms, the chanting, the speeches, the open homosociability.

From a technical perspective, the camera work is thoughtful and cohesive, working sympathetically with the strong musical score. If there is one notable issue, it is the lighting: much of the film is shot at night or in dark rooms, and visibility can seem a problem in places. This is a minor grievance, however, and overall BROTHERHOOD is certainly a compelling film; well-paced and brimming with palpable tension. Recommended.