Dir.
Natasha Arthy, Denmark, 2003, Danish with English Subtitles
Cast:
Sidse Babett Knudsen, Lotte Anderson, Vigga Bro, Martin Buch
Sounding like the pitch for a Richard Curtis inspired Brit-Comedy, Old, New Borrowed and Blue, follows the events leading up to the marriage between Katrine (Knudsen) and her fiancé Jonas (Byder) when an old friend Thomsen (Kjellman) arrives out of the blue and unwittingly turns their world upside down. Director Natasha Arthy and writer Kim Fupz Aakeson take this simple framework and create a funny, inventive and touching film whilst pushing the limits of the Dogme manifesto that they chose to work under the constraints of.
Katrine's elder sister Mette (Andersen) is in psychiatric hospital for her own protection. Her Swedish boyfriend Thomsen left for Africa two years ago leaving Mette devastated. But things are more complicated; the effervescent Thomsen has returned to Copenhagen and it is Katrine he visits. Jonas thinks nothing of his fiancée's visitor, but whilst he is off getting ready for his stag night Katrine and Thomsen start catching up. Thomsen has been fooling around in Africa and is awaiting the results of a HIV test. Katrine jokingly rings up for the results putting on a male voice, but when she is told the result is positive, she can't bring herself to tell Thomsen. Instead their day spirals surreally out of control whilst Jonas's stag party rages and Katrine's friends get blind drunk waiting for her to turn up.
For a Dogme production the cinematography is slick, and the traditionally shaky hand-held look is suspiciously subdued. The frequent use of pull focus also adds a more cinematic look, and the Dogme envelope is torn open by the playful use of location sound. When Mette takes solace in her Walkman, the music she hears is performed live in front of the camera by the musicians, led by the fascinating face of Jimmi Jørgensen. Only those familiar with the second rule in the Dogme Manifesto and its forbidden use of any music unless it occurs where the scene is being shot will get the full gag here, or appreciate the virtuoso editing involved. But these intimate and unusual musical performances are justified in their own right. However, the lack of subtitles for the lyrics, so obviously moving for Mette, is inexplicable and frustrating.
Knudsen and Kjellman playing Katrine and Thomsen balance the drama and farce in their portrayals so deftly that the swift swings between emotions are always surprising, tender and natural. These changes never feel like they are put in for respite or contrast, but demanded by the story. The comedy is mainly physical and situational relying heavily on timing and translates well throughout. There are echoes of Sweden's Lukas Moodysson at his best. The Danish writing throws up more surprises for the English viewer in the similarities between cultures than the differences and unlike some weightier films, the subtitles are never an effort. The Dogme declaration is aesthetically mute - irrelevant to all but film geeks. Funny and life affirming, but never schmaltzy Old, New Borrowed and Blue deserves to be viewed and distributed alongside the very best comedy that English and American filmmakers have to offer.
Gavin Bush
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