By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Anders Thomas Jensen
Starring: Line Kruse | Mads Mikkelsen | Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Original language title: De Grønne Slagtere
Country: denmark
Year: 2005
Running time: 100
Michael says: “This disappointing film had so much going for it. It was written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, whose writing credits include Susanne Beir’s wonderful films BROTHERS and OPEN HEARTS, as well as Lone Scherfig’s Chlotrudis Awards nominee, WILBUR WANTS TO KILL HIMSELF. The two lead actors have also starred in OPEN HEARTS, while Nikolaj Lie Kaas starred in BROTHERS as well, and Mads Mikkelsen appeared in WILBUR WANTS TO KILL HIMSELF. Of course, there was also the synopsis: two Danish social misfits open a butcher shop. When the electrician accidentally gets locked in the meat locker and freezes to death, his body ends up used in the specialty called the ‘Chicky Wicky.’ Suddenly they find their customers are lining up for more, and their supply is dwindling…
“So where did it go wrong? Unfortunately, THE GREEN BUTCHERS tried too hard to be a little bit of everything. Of the two lead characters, Svend (Mikkelsen) is played for wacky laughs, while Bjarne (Kaas) is given a tragic background and has a much more dramatic story. While trying to please everyone, it does neither very well. While there are certainly some wacky and amusing moments, many seemed forced, or weird for weirdness sake. And the tragic story was unfortunately marred by the introduction of the brain-damaged twin brother element. Clearly Kaas took the role in order to play two very different roles.
“That said, I did find the story to be sweet enough, and entertaining enough to put it slightly on the positive side. There was enough quirkiness to make it worthwhile, but not enough to really recommend it. 3 cats”