'My Brother is a Viking', a gripping black comedy

The pursuit of money thus becomes a kind of pretext for a film that particularly raises the theme of identity and redemption.

The end of this journey is to try to accept oneself for who one is, but the path is studded with grotesque passages, therapeutic reasoning and hopes of achieving a certain serenity.

The meat in the fire that Jensen puts in the pot is a lot, even too much, but the balance given to the ingredients is nevertheless well dosed, thanks above all to a script that is able to engage effectively.

What is particularly striking is the writing of the two main characters, well played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas and, even more so, by Mads Mikkelsen: the latter gives another proof that shows his versatility and talent even in a cinema capable of playing a certain type of comedy.

Along its almost two-hour duration, there are a few moments of tiredness and a few lapses in rhythm, but the film has more merits than flaws and is one of the most curious and unconventional viewings among those offered in our theatres in recent times.

Among the new releases in theatres is the interesting 'Homebound' by Neeraj Ghaywan, an Indian director who made his name in 2015 with 'Masaan'.

Presented in the Un certain regard section of last year's Cannes Film Festival, 'Homebound' tells the intertwined stories of Shoaib and Chandan, two childhood friends who grew up in a small village in northern India, united by their desire to escape poverty and social discrimination.

Both dream of joining the police force, convinced that wearing a uniform will finally grant them respect and economic security. But their goal soon comes up against a ruthless reality. Out of 2.5 million applicants, only 3,500 places are available. The wait for results goes on for a whole year, while family pressures become increasingly unbearable.

Very impressive from a formal point of view is this refined feature film, capable of confirming the Indian author's talent and surprising with its extremely mature directorial handling. Less effective, however, is the narrative progression, which is rather schematic, although in the second half several sequences are also capable of moving.

With a few dramaturgical shrewdness, it could have been a really great film, but one can still be satisfied with the general sincerity of the operation and the aesthetic strength deployed.