Writer: Tobias Lindholm, Thomas Vinterberg (Screenplay)
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrom, Susse Wold, Anne Louise Hassing, Lars Ranthe, Alexandra Rapaport
Plot: A teacher lives a lonely life, all the while struggling over his son’s custody. His life slowly gets better as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but his new luck is about to be brutally shattered by an innocent little lie.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Emotional Powerful
Story: The Hunt starts by introducing us to a group of friends including Lucas (Mikkelsen) who works at a local nursery, he has a good bond with the children. Lucas helps them around like helping one lost one home and another one with toiletry issues. Lucas has been going through a messy divorce where he only gets to see his son every other weekend. When one of children Klara (Wedderkopp), who Lucas is friends with the family says something it is the start of something bigger. Lucas has just started to turn his life around getting more time with his own son along with a new romantic interest.
Once the small made up story starts to be investigated Grethe (Wold) the parents and fellow teachers automatically judge Lucas. Lucas loses his job, loses his chance to have his son back and loses the respect of his friends must prove he is innocent before losing everything. Lucas approaches his best friend Theo (Larsen) to explain nothing happened but he doesn’t want to believe him. Even after Klara admits she made it up the town still thinks he is guilty because of the overreaction. Running low on people who believe him his son Marcus (Fogelstrom) goes against the custody and stays with his dad while the police try and figure out what the next steps are. Bruun (Ranthe) one of the men who stands by him is convinced he will be proven innocent. How far can one little story go?
The Hunt is a film I have heard plenty about its brilliance and had been trying to get around to watching, how I wasn’t disappointed with it either. The story is told in such a way that it parallels real life for the same situation. We get to see how the friends deal with the accusation along with the people who only hear of such allegations. The two have very powerful sides because of each reacting differently. We have one side that blacklists him while the closer side which doesn’t know what to really believe. We also see how the Lucas is effected because of what happens and how desperate his fight becomes. This is really one of the best films you will see and rightfully deserves the praise is gets. (10/10)
Actor Review
Mads Mikkelsen: Lucas nursery teacher who gets accused of child abuse right when his life starts to turn around, this leaves him being the enemy of the town and having to fight for his right to be considered innocent. Mads gives a stunning performance as the man whose life is crashing down around him. (10/10)
Support Cast: The Hunt has a supporting cast that follows each side of the situation, we have some that believe him to be innocent, the friends who are shocked and don’t know what to believe, along with the group in the town who just believe whatever they hear leading them to judge him without knowing him. Everything single member of the supporting cast helps drive the story in the direction it ends up going.
Director Review: Thomas Vinterberg – Thomas does a great job directing this powerful drama that really pulls you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to see how bad things could end up going. (10/10)
Drama: The Hunt shows how everyone reacts different to the idea of the accusation to create a brilliant drama. (10/10)
Settings: The Hunt uses its settings very well to show how close knit the town is and how hard it becomes for Lucas after being accused. (9/10)
Suggestion: The Hunt is really one to be giving a watch, it is one of the most powerful films you will see. (Watch)
Best Part: Lucas standing up for himself in the shop.
Worst Part: How real the story could be.
Believability: This could well be what happens when a close knit community hears a story like they heard. (10/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: Nominated for an Oscar for best foreign Film
Budget: $3.8 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes
Tagline: The lie is spreading
Overall: Brilliant, Powerful, Stunning Hard Hitting Dram
Rating