A bookshop in Glasgow, somewhat shabby and messy but still cozy. Two different brothers living in a bookshop, one nice and helpful, the other one miserable, lame and suicidal for no real reason. A tomb without a tombstone on a cemetery looking down on a gray and not very inviting city and a bookshop. A nice older brother removing chewing gum from the soft hair of a young mother selling left over books from a hospital to a bookshop. A suicidal younger brother thrown out even from his own suicide therapy group for being too destructive. A suicidal younger brother being very popular with the children of his nursery group. A young mother emotionally in between two brothers running a bookshop. A children birthday party with the highlight of a nice older brother vomiting on a child called Fatima. A lonesome nurse enjoying having her ear licked by a suicidal younger brother. A nice older brother incapable of sharing bad news with the family. A suicidal younger brother preventing a suicide attempt from someone of his former suicide therapy group. The kid of a young mother willing to invest all her savings in a somewhat shabby bookshop. A Danish uncaring psychiatrist named Horst showing emotions for a cleaning lady from his hospital in which left over books used to be removed by a former staff member. A not yet roasted Christmas duck creating mixed feelings between two brothers running a bookshop. A nice older brother always to be remembered by his stepdaughter.If you think that the above lines do not make a whole lot of sense then this is, of course, also because they do not tell the whole story but hopefully give an impression on what kind of movie it is. The overall story line is in fact quite straightforward but little unexpected things are always waiting around the corner. The characters have their flaws and do not always act rationally, as it is the case in real life. In this way, they become true human beings and no patterns thereof. The film does not try to find explanations for all things happening but accepts life in its unfairness and inexplicability, which also makes it valuable and beautiful. Allow life things to happen and do not throw it away since the outcome is unknown.In that sense, allow this movie to happen in its slow pace and you may rather be rewarded than disappointed. The solid acting performances do support the film's intention.

And by God you'll wish he had. Well received within indie circuits this is invariably described as humorous and subtle with great characterisations. God knows where people get this view from. The script contains no subtlety or finesse, giving us the bare bones of what passes for key moments in the story, and features dialogue that makes you presume it was written in a foreign language and then translated using Google. Apparently a story of teaching those who have given up on life to reclaim it, it left us with a feeling that those who reclaimed didn't deserve it and should have been left to die in the opening scene.

This film was terrible. Really really bad.i just read a comment saying that you'll be enriched. if anyone ever says this about a film like this it means that you have to watch a slow boring film which is absolute drivel.Its about a Scottish guy - very unlikeable - in fact its not really about anything - its an absolute snooze.If you think of yourself as a film critic you could analyze it and say oh yes its wonderful but this film was terrible. Its just pointless, not about anything - just some boring mean Scottish guy who attempts to kill himself. Great! I mean watch a good film not some arty crap.And - enriched! I mean i cant remember much of this film because i saw it a while ago and its totally unmemorable but i think he meets a girl and decides to put off killing himself for a bit.i don't know about you but that didn't make me jump up and say OK I'm gonna grab life by the balls , what an inspiring film! its just a boring load of crap. absolute drivel.1 out of 10.

I've given this movie a five based purely on the strength of the performances and competent editing, pacing, shot composition, etc. I admired Lone Scherfig (the director's) previous film, Italian For Beginners, and respect her abilities, and while parts of the film were enjoyable enough, the last half left a bad taste in my mouth.I found the characters of Wilbur and Alice (though I liked the actors) to be so self centered and morally bankrupt that on hindsight I wish that Wilbur had done himself in in the first scene, or the fourth scene, or the seventh scene...whatever. I don't always need to like characters, and perhaps since this was sold as a "black comedy" what I was expecting from the film was skewed. There are comic moments, but this is no comedy. I know a sort of moral ambiguity is a distinct characteristic of Danish cinema, and am actually a fan of Lars Von Trier's work and films that push conventional ideas of human relationships, but this particular turn of events was just distasteful to me. I kind of felt duped. Maybe I'll warm to the film with time, but that's my take. Wilbur was a complete tool. That's what I came away from this movie with. But once again, kudos to the actors and direction. Loved the film-making, disliked the film.