A War is an absolute classic, one of the finest war movies of all time and a film that uniquely captures the struggles of military families. It's out this week on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. The Danish film (also known as Krigen) was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 2016 Oscars and we've got an exclusive clip from a Los Angeles screening where American veterans give their reaction to the movie:
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The movie stars Pilou Asbæk (currently appearing as Euron Greyjoy in the new season of Game of Thrones) as Danish Company Commander Claus M. Pederson. His company is serving in Afghanistan and an attack on a compound leads to the killing of local civilians. He must return to Denmark to face charges. That story is told with remarkable precision and attention to detail.
It's the Pederson family's struggles back home that elevate A War to classic status. Tuva Novotny gives a spectacular performance as Maria, the wife who's struggling to raise three small children while her husband is away in combat. She's holding it together for everyone, desperate to keep a brave face to her kids and her husband. There's one brief moment in an emergency room where her face cracks and you just how heavy the burden has been for her. It's devastating.
Director Tobias Lindholm talked with us about the movie back in February, explaining the impact of Denmark's first military engagement since World War II on his home country and how he used the experiences of real soldiers to build the story he tells in the film.
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If you don't think you can watch a foreign film with subtitles, the producers have recorded a remarkably well-done English language track if you've got to have English dialog. Even if you watch it in English the first time through, it's very much worth watching again in Danish with subtitles to full appreciate the wonderful performances from the entire cast.
Don't miss this one.
