Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

In a Better World

Play trailer Poster for In a Better World R 2011 1h 53m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
77% Tomatometer 119 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Anton (Mikael Persbrandt) is a doctor who travels frequently between his home in Denmark and a refugee camp in Africa. His domestic life is complicated by the fact that he and his wife, Marianne (Trine Dyrholm), are experiencing marital strife and his son, Elias (Markus Rygaard), is a victim of school bullying. When a new boy, whose mother recently died, moves to town and befriends Elias, it provides solace for both father and son. After a reckless act, however, things turn tragic.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

In a Better World

In a Better World

What to Know

Critics Consensus

In a Better World is a sumptuous melodrama that tackles some rather difficult existential and human themes.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Lisa Mullen Sight & Sound 07/09/2018
An attempt to grapple with the nuances of good and evil and examine the limitations of virtue in the face of pure emotion Go to Full Review
Kimber Myers The Playlist 08/15/2013
B
There's little flash or surprise in Bier's latest well-shot film, but plenty of substance. Go to Full Review
Derek Malcolm London Evening Standard 08/19/2011
4/5
Bier's strength is storytelling and her ability to find actors to do those stories justice. Go to Full Review
Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 10/06/2022
It is necessary to see it to feel it. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com 09/11/2020
3.5/4.0
An intelligent and thoughtful approach towards challenging issues. Go to Full Review
Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/05/2019
3/4
Bier handles tricky emotional territory with great skill, creating a solid drama with the heart of a great thriller. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Ricardo W 10/06/2024 No encuentro manera de escudriñar este film sin remontarme a las disyuntivas planteadas por Thomas Hobbes en Leviatán, básicamente porque los dilemas éticos y filosóficos planteados en el film inevitablemente llevan al espectador a preguntarse si la civilización como concepto no es más que una utopía. No se presentan salidas fáciles, y si bien el guión es dirigido hacia un final aceptable o complaciente, lo cierto es que el film retrata realidades tan conflictivas y reales que la impresión general termina siendo una especie de sacudida espiritual, mental y emocional. Un grupo de personajes muy, muy bien hilados y estructurados nos muestran las múltiples caras de un mismo conflicto: ¿cómo llegar a un mundo mejor, si a veces la violencia parece la única salida? ¿Cómo aspirar a ser hombres justos en un mundo profunda y marcadamente injusto? ¿Es posible la justicia misma, si quienes la definen y aplican son tan humanos como los demás? ¿Es posible enseñar a un niño a ser civilizado y recto en un mundo donde no controlamos la mayoría de las variables? En fin, ¿"El hombre es el lobo del hombre" o "El hombre es la cosa sagrada del hombre"? La película en sí misma es extraordinaria, pues humaniza todos los dilemas mencionados en una trama bien planteada. Los personajes no son perfectos, tienen matices, y eso los hace profundamente conmovedores y cercanos al espectador. Si bien el guión puede parecer un poco manipulador, moralista, melodramático, o el final un poco obvio, es un film para reflexionar y discutir, y realmente creo que merece la pena verlo. See more Cuenta P 10/12/2023 Just a great film with a human touch that makes It memorable. See more Georgan G 09/30/2023 This gripping thriller regarding two Danish boys keeps you on the edge of your seat. It was clear something terrible was going to happen as the tension builds. The acting, even of the boys, was so real it felt almost like a documentary. See more dave s 03/04/2022 Susanne Bier's Oscar-winning In A Better World deals with themes of injustice, self-imposed power and the retribution required to check that power. Centering around a warlord in a developing African country, a mechanic who deals with conflict through violence and a schoolyard bully, the characters in their immediate periphery struggle to come to terms with how they react to their oppressors. Despite a periodically over-dramatic tone and some inconsistency with style (sporadic jump cuts, sudden zooms, etc.), In A Better world effectively documents the universal problem of ‘eye for an eye' justice that most viewers will be able to relate to in one way or another. See more 09/19/2020 Criticism of its too-convenient plot developments and foreseeable melodrama are fair, but I thought it had genuine charm, nonetheless. The characters are mostly real, three-dimensional, and believable, and I appreciate a good story of people trying to navigate - or teach their kids - right and wrong in a complex world. See more 02/27/2020 This film has very well outlined characters, with beautiful arches, that is, people are transformed during the film. Is there anything more magnificent than transformation? It is a strong, impacting film, but I guarantee you will not be "wanting to kill yourself". There will be many reflections and inspirations, it was like that for me. They are stories between parents and children, it deals with the power of attitudes, of influences. What makes a good human being? It is the central question of the film. It has drama, violence, tenderness, empathy, suspense, all at high voltage. The plot is clever with a well-written script. The photography is wonderful, clear images, strong colors, I think in order to consolidate all the energy of the film. The performances, whether of children or adults, are all splendid, everyone convinced me to be those people. One of my favorite films. See more Read all reviews
In a Better World

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
After the Wedding 87% 87% After the Wedding Watchlist Open Hearts 93% 90% Open Hearts Watchlist The Hunt 92% 93% The Hunt Watchlist Dogville 70% 89% Dogville Watchlist Brothers 89% 86% Brothers Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Anton (Mikael Persbrandt) is a doctor who travels frequently between his home in Denmark and a refugee camp in Africa. His domestic life is complicated by the fact that he and his wife, Marianne (Trine Dyrholm), are experiencing marital strife and his son, Elias (Markus Rygaard), is a victim of school bullying. When a new boy, whose mother recently died, moves to town and befriends Elias, it provides solace for both father and son. After a reckless act, however, things turn tragic.
Director
Susanne Bier
Producer
Sisse Graum Jørgensen
Screenwriter
Anders Thomas Jensen
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
Zentropa Entertainment
Rating
R (Language|Disturbing Content Inv Preteen|Violent Content Inv. Preteens)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Danish
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 1, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 4, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.0M
Runtime
1h 53m
Most Popular at Home Now