Manderlay

IFC Films | Release Date: January 27, 2006

6.8	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 65 Ratings

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NathanTDec 23, 2006

"Dogville" was bad, in some regards "Manderlay" might be worse. The way that director Lars Von Trier can point his finger so solemnly and self-importantly at a country he's never been is insufferable. The look of the film, totally "Dogville" was bad, in some regards "Manderlay" might be worse. The way that director Lars Von Trier can point his finger so solemnly and self-importantly at a country he's never been is insufferable. The look of the film, totally barren is tough on the eyes to watch. Can't a serious film be at least mildly pleasing aesthetically? I'd hope so. Me, I enjoy movies, that whether they are celebrations or mournings are high on the joys of cinema. Cinema is a visual art form after all. And Von Trier's message? Moronic obvious nonsense about slavery still existing 70 years later, the fact that capitalism itself becomes slavery, and comparing Grace's (Bryce Dallas Howard) fight to end the slavery at Manderlay with the U.S. invasion of Iraq. As in "Dogville", Von Trier has no concept of what he speaks. I think my negative feelings toward the movie were stirred up in the first moments when he presents a map of the United States and I said to myself, "He's never been to any of those 48 states I'm looking at." The nicest thing I can say about Von Trier's trilogy (it will culminate with the release of "Washington" next year), is that it is like anything else I've seen before it. The truest thing: I hope I never see anything even remotely like it again.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful

DJKyostiFeb 2, 2006

This film is absolutely vile. I have been a Lars Van Trier fan from the start, but he has finally gone completely off the rails. No doubt about it: the U.S. was founded on and continues to perpetuate racial supremacy, and despite the 13th This film is absolutely vile. I have been a Lars Van Trier fan from the start, but he has finally gone completely off the rails. No doubt about it: the U.S. was founded on and continues to perpetuate racial supremacy, and despite the 13th Amendment, the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act, this country still reeks of the badges of slavery and often appears to be a plantation. But, Lars Von Trier has not crafted an interesting, intelligent, coherent, or even entertaining film based on this. The acting is horrible, the script is wooden, and he already used those staging tricks in DOGVILLE. This film wallows in the worst kind of anti-Americanism without offering any solution other than hopelessness, without any real critique, and that all of this is perpetrated by a White, European director is even all the more obnoxious. He has essentialized his Black actors here to the coarsest of stereotypes, and despite the contempt shown for them, saves his worst for his female lead. Without giving anything away, I believe that her treatment demonstrates once and for all what many critics and women have said about Lars all along: he hates women. What ultimately could have been an interesting film with a nifty premise just doesn't work. It was a major disappointment for me, and probably will be to most people who see it. If the point was to provoke, then it succeeds. If there is any other point, then it fails. There is also, perhaps, a parable here about U.S. (and Danish) involvement in Iraq. Which also doesn't work. Ultimately, this is no Brectian discourse as one reviwer has suggested. Brecht was, afterall, a humanist and a teacher.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

BryanH.Feb 8, 2006

this guy has admittedly never even set foot in the US! then he makes a series of anti-US films. go figure.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

listenerNov 13, 2011

When I was kid I saw Lars von Trier's movie Europa and was immediately enthralled by its tragic beauty.Many years have passed since then and now I have to say-Manderlay is probably the worst movie I've ever seen.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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