Dancer in the Dark

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Dancer in the Dark

R

Released Oct 6, 2000

2h 20m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

121 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Selma is a Czech immigrant, a single mother working in a factory in rural America. Her salvation is passion for music, specifically, the all-singing, all-dancing numbers found in classic Hollywood musicals. Selma harbors a sad secret: she is losing her eyesight and her son Gene stands to suffer the same fate if she can't put away enough money to secure him an operation. When a desperate neighbor falsely accuses Selma of stealing his savings, the drama of her life escalates to a tragic finale.

Critics Consensus

Dancer in Dark can be grim, dull, and difficult to watch, but even so, it has a powerful and moving performance from Bjork and is something quite new and visionary.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Dancer is like no other movie around. Shot in bleached-out video colors in rough, hand-held style, the film is at once aggressively modern and deliberately, melodramatically, old-fashioned.

Mar 7, 2018

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Peter Matthews

Sight & Sound

The situations that writer-director Lars von Trier serves up here might be embarrassingly florid, but the coupling of his manipulative skills and Björk's showy intensity results in a movie with the force of an emotional bulldozer.

Dec 2, 2002

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Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

At least Dancer in the Dark is bad in a complicated way.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 19, 2002

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Theo Estes

The Spool

Dancer in the Dark critiques the relentless optimism of mid-century movie musicals, but it also puts the American cultural narrative under the microscope.

Oct 8, 2020

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Michael J. Casey

Boulder Weekly

Björk plays Selma, a Czech immigrant suffering from a degenerative eye disorder. It's a rare, hereditary disease, and it'll steal her sight but not the song in her heart.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 25, 2020

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Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

A sweeping denunciation of the myth of the American dream-the idealized America put forth by escapist Hollywood fare.

Rated: 4/4

Aug 5, 2019

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meg M.

I get how this movie isn’t for everyone… but if it is for you, it’s incredible. The acting is astonishing from Bjork. And while the majority is filmed in very washed out handhelds, the musical numbers are shot on 100 cameras in beautiful saturated colors. The story is heartbreaking and very relatable. But for sure a film for “film” people.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/21/25

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Ege S

Amazing singing and acting by Björk. Last scene broke my heart. I have only cried to the few movies and this one definitely one of them.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/12/25

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Dani G

I loved it the first time I watched it (in theaters), but 25 years later it just doesn't feel the same. It's good, but I even found it a little ridiculous and annoying at some points.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

Full Review

Insomniac X

Dancer in the Dark's heartbreaking story leans closer to the tragedy of opera than the comedy of the classic musicals it references. Despite its striking imagery and virtuosic lead performance by Björk, the film's tone borders on cruel, and ultimately feels like an experience to be endured rather than enjoyed.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

Full Review

jacob c

While definitely not for all tastes, Dancer in the Dark may be a painful watch, but underneath all the melancholy lies a tragically beautiful song, and features unique cinematography and a standout performance from Björk.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/25/25

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Pamela N

Esta película duele y duele más por el hecho de que solo hace falta 1 hombre para arruinar tu vida. No importa la época…

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/15/25

Full Review

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Lars von Trier

Director

Björk

Selma Jezkova

Catherine Deneuve

Kathy

David Morse

Bill

Cara Seymour

Linda

Peter Stormare

Jeff

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Synopsis

Selma is a Czech immigrant, a single mother working in a factory in rural America. Her salvation is passion for music, specifically, the all-singing, all-dancing numbers found in classic Hollywood musicals. Selma harbors a sad secret: she is losing her eyesight and her son Gene stands to suffer the same fate if she can't put away enough money to secure him an operation. When a desperate neighbor falsely accuses Selma of stealing his savings, the drama of her life escalates to a tragic finale.

Director: Lars von Trier
Producer: Peter Aalbæk Jensen, Vibeke Windeløv
Screenwriter: Lars von Trier
Distributor: Fine Line Features
Production Co: Trust Film Svenska, Pain Unlimited GmbH Filmproduktion, France 3 Cinéma, arte France Cinéma, Zentropa Entertainment France, Zentropa Entertainment, Slot Machine
Rating: R (Some Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 6, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.2M
Runtime: 2h 20m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)