terrible... so disappointed.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

There are three protagonists in the story of Copenhagen: William, Effy and the city. There are many city specific romance films dedicated to London, Paris or New York but there is a quaint charm in bicycles and in that regard, Copenhagen-the city of bicycles, fits really well to the narrative. William is an American/Canadian tourist on an adventurous bender across Europe with his best friend Jeremy and his tag along girlfriend, whom William detests. On his to-do list is to deliver a letter from his father to its rightful owner. When left neglected by his best friend who promptly leaves William behind in Copenhagen, the letter gathers importance for him, who is otherwise content being inconsiderate and childish to everyone around him- including Effy, a teenage waitress at the hotel where William has checked in. Unable to read the contents of the letter, William asks Effy for help who commits to tracking the recipient of the letter, William's grandfather. One of the most touching moments in the film is when William learns that he is the grandson of a Nazi corroborator. His father who had abandoned him was also left abandoned by his own father. The familiarity of this desertion is genetic. Seated in a quiet room of a distant relative, there is no one except Effy, a stranger then, who gets William's predicament. Imagine William's state of mind when he finds out that Effy, who has been part of this intimate, shocking discovery and whom William seems to grow fond of, is underage. The rest of the film delves into William's own sense of discipline and morality and Effy's discovery of a childhood she never had. Effy, brilliantly played by Hansen is at moments vulnerable, effervescent, spontaneous, and more perceptive than William, who even in his late twenties seems to behave like a moody, cantankerous, entitled, teenage boy. Her 'resting bitch face' to William's off brand sexist humor is brilliant. The bicycle rides in the film open up vistas of cobbled alleyways, brightly colored apartment blocks, flirtatious and honest banter between the two, and moments of interlude in the story. The second most touching moment of the film is when William takes Effy to a club and in a rush of emotion blurts out that he loves her. Gethin Anthony does a fine job playing a man so overcome with this alien realization that he doesn't know how to mend himself better to express this. This is followed by a childish game of 'shark attack'. Effy returns the sentiments later in the film reclined in William's hotel bed. Her confession is soft, hesitant perhaps, as it's quickly followed by "you told me you loved me already". She tries to seduce William but here is when we see how much William has matured through the course of the film. It is in the same hotel room that he had previously had his one night stands, the same room where he had broken his laptop screen in a fit of rage- unable to decipher his father's letter, the same room where he once lay despondent, staring at the ceiling for clues. The film ends with William at Skagen, point of confluence of the Baltic and North Sea. The metaphor for a perfect relationship- "you look to the left and you look to the right, and both seas are there. And they can meet in the middle, but they never lose themselves in each other. They are always themselves no matter what"- Effy.

First - Frederikke Dahl Hansen was wondrous. Sort of a Danish young Jennifer Lawrence. Magical - great career ahead of her! Gethin Anthony's character was rude, selfish, and very much like a spoiled two year-old throwing his darkest tantrum. My first reaction was - Dude, how could you do such a cliché of Americans? As his acting-out continued I was nagged by a strange sensation - his whole shtick rang false. It was too frenetic, too strained and hyper. Then I looked him up on IMDb and saw that he is not American at all, but in fact English. His character's pal is an English actor too. And the so-called writer/director, Raso, is also not American - he's Canadian.I find these young hipster prima donnas' appropriation of my culture and ethnicity offensive. If they want to be self-obsessed, snotty little narcissists, that's their choice. But they have no right - either artistically or ethically, to be dicks in MY name, as it were. How dare they pretend to be of another culture, only to sabotage and besmirch that culture from their disguise? That's dishonest to say the least. If they have a beef with Americans they should man-up and come right out and say it. Be known for who you are, dudes! They should use their own damn identity to defame the human condition, to befoul our waters. They should not hide by doing it by masquerading their intent and their "bona fides." Actors pretend, yes, but we also expect an authenticity of the artist. These clowns had none.This movie had so many exciting premises that promised a great indie gem. Instead, it misfired on most of them, and the result is rather a mess. Its worst sin, however, was not dropping the ball (that is to be forgiven in a first-time indie director), but rather in the clumsy ugliness of the male characters. More than merely having no redeeming qualities, the males here also gave me the creeps, and left me with a psychic sludge that was a bit painful.THAT was just bad manners on director Mark Raso's part.

I'd wager that I would have scored this lower if not for the visuals. I love Copenhagen, been many times and grow to love it more each time. In fact, that's pretty much why I decided to watch this one, because I love the city so much. However, outside of that, the film doesn't offer much more more. The controversial plot twist, I'll admit I did not see it coming. But I didn't find it engaging. It just made me grow more fed up with the main character who is almost instantly unlikable and doesn't improve despite the attempts of the film. In fact none of the characters are overly engaging, there is zero attachment to any of them. What a shame, some of the most interesting people I've ever come across were met in Copenhagen. The plot itself isn't bad, it's just not done well. Many of the plot developments happen all too conveniently without any engaging material to link them e.g. them finding the main characters father's name carved on the apartment floor within about fifteen seconds of arriving from thin air, then of course Effy's uncle just happens to work at a national statistics database to track him down. It's rushed, and dull. Can't really talk up the acting that accompanies all this as well.However, I obviously was invested enough to sit through to the end, so I wouldn't say it's the worst film I've reviewed... not even close. It has moments, not very many but some, the scene where he confronts his Grandfather is an engaging example. Overall, it has great potential, but it's executed poorly. I do know of people that like it, but it's just not for me.P.S. Go visit Copenhagen, it's awesome.

not surprising. but beautiful in a special manner. a simple story about search of origins and a meeting. and the admirable performance of Frederikke Dahl Hansen, the interesting portrait of foreign lost in different space by Gethin Anthony. romance. and delicate build of questions. because it is a film, like many others from same genre, about the small details. about need of other, about past, about clash between two different ways to discover the truth. and the great thing, maybe the challenge, is the option to present, with different nuances, the same story, exploring roots, imposing solutions and crisis and confuse feelings from contemporary every day situations. that film who discover shadows. with grace. and high precision. romance. but only as skin. the heart is more interesting.