I have recently watched this excellent Dannish movie on satellite channel.Regrettably I was deprived of the opportunity to understand dialogs as there was neither English translation nor subtitles. Nevetheless, that language barrier had not prevented me from understanding the essence of the movie and conversely watching this movie in Dannish emphasized scenes regarding alcoholics, contradictions and attitude towards lonely poverty-stricken generally in Europe and particularly in Denmark. The problem of solitude is pivotal in this movie. Loneliness kills us faster that whatever disease. The movie is full of sadness and sympathy. I recommend everybody to watch it.

Here's a comment to this Norwegian Øysten guy! To me it sounds more like you have a problem with Danes in general and are just using the movie as an excuse to utter some very stupid remarks about Danish movies. You sound like a poor fellow with a self esteem problem. It's not our problem that Norway is not exactly the capital of film making right now. During the last 10 years or so Danish films have had an impressively high level of quality. Sure, there have been some not very good and some very bad movies, but the general level is high. If you take a look at the over-exposed American movies it's only a low fraction of those that are even worth mentioning and yet they are still dominating the cinemas everywhere, also in Denmark. Of course, the success of Danish films has made the fraction of American movies decrease a bit which is a very positive thing. In the 80's we excelled in extremely bad comedies so the last 10 years have been a giant leap forward. You can say what you want about the Dogma95 concept but it resulted in a series of good movies and a lot of fruitful discussions about film making in general. Now, Dogma95 has seized to exist (it was only intended to be officially "running" for 10 years) which is probably also a good thing because otherwise the concept could end up as a parody of itself. Dogma95 caused a little stir in the movie industry and rightfully deserves a note in movie history. It's like Lars Von Trier himself: You can love or hate him, but you cannot possibly ignore him.

The Bench gives a no nonsense depiction of the way of alcohol. The road to early death. From an experienced and professional point of view the way is not shown 'alco-holistic' —in surround angles with context feedback from soul to skin—but it is only scattered pictures from the surface: the face of the drinking man, his physical and verbal spasms, his loneliness among alcoholic peers, his mighty thirst, his negative emotions of anger, self hatred, cynicism, and then the sudden rebound of long forgotten family love.From the behavioristic technique of telling the story the audience might wonder what road of excess this man has wandered and why it did not lead to the palace of wisdom.But the film itself doesn't take at stand or offers a story or history of the man and his alcohol. The fixed point of view and the main character is—the Bench. So the story can not move and will not develop. It is sitting on the bench. The love drop to this dying life is only a blurb before the long goodbye. Good setting, good sitting, good acting. Good row of still pictures.Thus, though careful in its objective artistry —excactly why it is not 'cinéma-vérité'—the film is sentimental and deterministic. No source. No lesson. No hope. No change. In great art there is always hope. Especially in tragedy. Where you can track back and learn 'why?' In life it is karma. In literature poetic justice. This is also cinematic. Please the gods. Change the game.

Brilliant movie. Jesper Christensen puts his soul into this part as Kaj, who drinks so much, he's dying. Suddenly his daughter appears, who he has not seen since she was about 4 years, so she can't recognize him. She has a son now, and a violent husband. Kaj just hangs out with the locals on a bench, drinking beers and stronger stuff. He's sunken so low, he's negative towards everything and everybody. But now, where he has a grandson, he wants to pull himself up - to live again. But is it too late? It's so great to watch the similar reality these actors/actresses has put in their roles. Jesper Christensen really deserves some important awards for this part. I also enjoyed Halfdan E.'s score very much.