The Danish keep on killing it at finding new angles for family dramas. While only recently Hollywood incorporated same-sex couples’ households into their films, the Danes are so far ahead, they are wondering if the notion of family is in conflict with individual growth.
Written and directed by Thomas Vinterberg (The Hunt), The Commune is set in the 70’s but tackles very contemporary issues. Anna (Trine Dyrholm, Love Is All You Need) and Erik (Ulrich Thomsen, The Celebration) fancy themselves a modern couple, so when they inherit a manor, they decide to put their beliefs into practice and start a commune.
The initially reluctant Erik is the first one to take advantage of the situation when he brings a student of his into the house. Anna tries to be open-minded about it, but soon enough learns there are limits to her tolerance. By the time personal decisions are to be dealt with by committee, Anna realizes she is not cut for ‘extreme’ community living.
While the love triangle is front and center, The Commune also examines what does it mean to be part of a hive-mind (and why nine times of ten it doesn’t work). As compelling as the idea of sacrificing personal freedom for the good of the group sounds, it’s not sustainable in the long run.
The moral of the story? Never a good idea to deal with emotional issues rationally. 3 ½ planets.
The Commune is now playing at the Broadway Theatre.
