I knew right away that "Dancer in the Dark" was going to be one of those "artsy" films. Still, I had no idea what I was in for.

Unfortunately, I have had very little exposure to Bjork. I mean, I could recognize her face and some of her music, but I knew nothing about her. Little did I know, I was about to learn how much of a trememndous screen presence she could give.

Bjork plays Selma Yeskova a single immigrant mother who comes to the United States in hopes that her dreams come true. At work, she befriends Cathy (played by Catherine Denueve) who shares her love for musicals and dancing.

Selma finds herself surrounded by people who care for her, and she lives day-to-day in her simple life. But her world, her dreams, and her relationships begin to slip through her fingers like sand once her eyesight goes from bad to unimaginably worse.

The cast in this movie is dynamite, and not a bad peformance is given by any of them. This includes the likes of David Morse, Peter Stormare and Vincent Paterson.

Lars Von Trier's cinematic style is very choppy and to the point. This made me appreciate the more musical segements in which things seem to slow down and the visual aspect of it all becomes more integral to the story.

Also, the music is great. Bjork's contributions to the soundtrack are effective and quite enjoyable.

The story's downward spiral and inevitable end are incredibly saddening. At the end of the movie, even when a positive message is delivered, I just felt like the only thing I could do was cry. The story reaches down your throat, puts a death-grip on your heart and then it squeezes as hard as it can. It's a real tearjerker, folks.

I strongly recommend Dancer in the Dark. Besides being stereotypically "artsy", it is very insightful and just as entertaining.

Recommended:
Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older