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Starring Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritan, Paprika Steen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Trine Dyrholm,
Birthe Neumann, Helle Dolleris. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg. Subtitles.
Helge (Moritan) is the respected and successful patriarch celebrating his 60th birthday with his grown children and close friends. Owner of a beautiful, stately country inn, a lavish banquet and party has been prepared in his honour. His youngest son Michael (Larsen), a failed chef barely scraping by, has come with his wife and three kids. Michael is the black sheep of the family, cheating on his wife (Dolleris) and treating her with contempt, but they stay together because of the great sex. Eldest son Christian (Thomsen), the proprietor of two successful Paris restaurants has also returned, as has his daughter Helene (Steen). Childhood friend Pia (Dyrholm), helping to cater the event, was and still is in love with Christian, but the feeling does not appear to be mutual. The event is a welcome antedote to the unfortunate death of the Christian's twin sister Linda, who recently inexplicably drowned in the bathtub. But the family has a huge, deadly secret that each member knows or suspects, but no one wants to speak about. Until Christian lets loose with it during dinner. At first no one will take him seriously but slowly as the night progresses, the secret is confirmed and the character and history of each family member is revealed and laid bare, with devastating results. Director Vinterberg, along with Lars Von Trier and others, established Dogme 95, which opposes the auteur concept, where the film is said to primarily be the vision of the director. Instead, Dogme 95 shuns the use of make-up, illusions, unnatural lighting and dramatical predictability, and dictates that the inner lives of the characters justify the plot. Not surprisingly then, the film has a low budget, grainy look, with plenty of hand-held cameras, jerky editing and weird camera angles. Distracting at first, the style becomes less noticeable as the story warms up and we get used to it. The strength of the film is in the performances. Moritan is outstanding as the domineering, imperious patriarch who outwardly loves and revels in his family, but is not what he initially seems. Larsen is excellent as the angry, hard-drinking rebellious younger son too used to being a screw-up and unable to change even when he wants to. And Patrika is heartbreaking in her portrayal of the daughter who learns of the family secret but is torn up trying to keep it from getting out. The story is expertly told, with logical twists and turns, although I'm not sure a dinner party, after hearing the news it did, would just carry on without any thought or discussion about it. The Celebration is a powerful story of family lies and betrayal, the length families will go to keep their dirty laundry hidden, and the lifelong effect keeping these things secret can have on all who come in contact.   
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