While watching a program about the mental state of American soldiers returning from the war, Bier was intrigued by the fact, that even the smallest changes, as for instance new pillows for the sofa, could throw them off balance. The idea grew and became a character study of a returning soldier facing extreme changes. It became “Brothers”.

Michael (Ulrik Thomsen) and Jannik (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) are brothers, but like day and night. Michael is the favourite son, the responsible one, the one who always does what’s right. Jannik is the outcast, the slacker, who just spend some years in prison for bank robbery.

As a major for the UN forces, Michael is send to Afghanistan, but not sooner than he has arrived, his helicopter is shot down and he is assumed dead. This creates an emotional emptiness within the family. The father turns grief into anger towards Jannik, who’s own sorrow makes him approach Sarah (Connie Nielsen), Michael’s wife, and suddenly Jannik finds himself accepted and loved as a person, and begins to act responsible and as the uncle he is.

But Michael is not dead. He is taken prisoner by rebels and goes thru hell, before he is rescued by American troops. Returning home, he finds that everything has changed, especially with Sarah and Jannik, and even though Jannik assures Michael that there is nothing going on between them, Michael begins to develop unhealthy thoughts. He feels that he has lost his family and feels betrayed by those he loved. Jealousy turns to rage and is enhanced by the demons he fights with, as he was forced to kill a fellow prisoner in order to stay alive. There is no happy end.

Scripted by Anders Thomas Jensen, who also wrote “Open Hearts” and “Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself” for Bier, this is a haunting character study of a how the horrors of war affects an ordinary man. The notion that soldiers are trained to be, whatever they are, is presented over and over, only to be opposed by the question, but who is trained to watch other people die, and as such makes a critical comment to how returning soldiers are neglected in terms of getting rid of their demons.

Bier really has turned into a great director, who demonstrates a firm control of her characters. One thing is being popular in Denmark, which is easy, another thing is being able to make films, which can compete internationally, and with both “Open Hearts” and “Brothers”, Bier proves herself. Yet there is room for improvement, she needs to be personal involved, there need to be risks, and as long as she is an audience darling, I doubt that will happened. She has a great gift in terms of character direction and does make some of the best Danish films in the last few years, but she has nothing to fight for, and in the end, that reflects upon her film.

This seems obvious comparing “Open Hearts” with “Brothers”. “Open Hearts” was her Dogme film and it was to some extend a directorial risk, as she had to prove, that she not only was able of making sugar sweet comedies, but also was able to make a real film. And she rose to the challenge and made one of the best Danish films in recent years. As such, “Brothers” has a sense of resting on the laurels.

But “Brothers” is still a great film. Bier is a great character director and the acting is superb. It also continues the central Danish leitmotif of the recent years, our inability to come to terms with loss, and is on top of that a film able to compete internationally. “Brothers” is a must see for fans of Danish film.

Henrik Sylow