Pierce Brosnan stars in a lovely, funny Danish import.
by Joe BardiAfter the recent onslaught of CGI superheroes, animated monsters and the apocalypse, Danish import Love is All You Need is a welcome surprise. Here is a movie that remains witty, charming and fun throughout, while still managing to hit some heady themes without ever becoming ponderous or solemn. Add in winning performances and breathtaking local color, and what you’ve got is a movie that should be enjoyed by hordes of summer moviegoers that will end up instead as the prevue of only the bravest of ticket buyers. Pity.
Trine Dyrholm stars as Ida, a woman who, as the film begins, has just finished treatment for breast cancer. She’s married to a schlub of a man (Kim Bodnia) who’s cheating on her with a vapid co-worker (Christine Schaumburg- Müller). To make matters worse, her son is shipping out for military service, and her daughter (Molly Blixt Egelind) is about to marry a guy (Sebastian Jessen) she’s been dating for all of three months. That the wedding is in Italy only adds complications.
Suffering an emotional breakdown in the airport parking garage, Ida gets into a fender-bender with Philip (Pierce Brosnan), a gruff businessman who also happens to be the father of the groom. Realizing that their kids will soon be married, the pair shares an awkward journey to the Amalfi Coast, where the wedding will be held in a villa owned by Philip and containing only sad memories. But it’s Italy, which means love must be in the air. Well, love or food, of course — but Love is All You Need is concerned only with the former. Pity.
Once in Italy the laughs come with regularity as the oddball assortment of characters interacts in surprising and funny ways. There’s nothing groundbreaking about the film, but director Susanne Bier (who made 2011’s In A Better World, which also starred Dyrholm and won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film) hits all the right notes, heaping on drama that makes the characters squirm, all the while reveling in the lush and beautiful scenery. Love is All You Need is beautifully shot, and it made me want to book a ticket to Sorrento as soon as I walked out of the theater.
Pierce Brosnan will be the main draw for American audiences, and he gives a solid, measured performance that allows his character to have what feels like a genuine epiphany by film’s end. But Love is All You Need really belongs to Trine Dyrholm, who is touching, funny and authentic as Ida. The actress takes significant physical chances with the role (the original Danish title is The Bald Hairdesser), yet never comes across as anything less than luminous. The supporting players all do well, but the movie belongs to Brosnan and Dyrholm.
I know that foreign films are always a tough sell for American audiences, especially during the summer silly season, but for moviegoers with a brain who enjoy their comedy rooted in the real world, Love is All You Need is a winner that should not be missed.