Without a doubt, the most interesting aspect of this film is the fact that it was shot in the space of three years, specifically so we can watch the characters as well as the actors grow on film, and Malmros makes a point in showing the female lead grow LITERALLY. In terms of the pathological side, this technique, something I've always wanted to see on film, happens to work well on some of the character's/actors better than others. The male lead was probably more convincing in his development overall.That being said, what new does this director bring to the screen aside from this one point of interest? Virtually nothing, as this is yet again ANOTHER period piece from a man seemingly inescapably trapped in the past, which he can never get back. A film almost identical to his prior, and probably more successful film "Kundskabens Trae" merely for it's own ambiguity, both films end almost identically. However, In attempting to establish a more focused storyline here, in my opinion he succeeds LESS at capturing what his other film did; a glance at life in the past, which here, 40 as opposed to 20 years later seems rather like a painful step back, and the entire film falls into melodrama as with the sub plot involving the female lead's father, or how the male lead reads the secrets in his girlfriend's diary.It is a bleak and depressing film in that there is no real conflict but simply subtle aggravation revolving around an unconsummated unfulfilled romance where the 2 character's bounce back and forth, treating the relationship that the film focuses on, more superficially than is needed to be a worthy basis for a film in my opinion. It would seem that all the characters have bleak uninteresting academically oriented lives, and while aspects of youthful naivety are there, they are not well rounded. All you really get comes from the main character, and he entirely consists of two simple notions "I like to study hard, and I am involved in quasi relationship that I don't know how to interpret".The bottom line is at this stage in his career as a director, the ambiance and FEEL of the period he is working in does not seem authentic or encapsulating anymore, but more like a cry of help. On one hand you could argue, at least he is showing us what he knows, rather than embarrassingly attempting to show us what he thinks the youth of today are like, as with directors like Larry Clark, and largely failing, but what I will say, is that any artist has to grow and see and express new things from new angles, whereas this man seems to be stuck in the narcissistic deconstruction of his own life in every one of his films, and here it becomes a bad thing, as some scenes are becoming more stagy, The director needs to take his experiences and apply them to today, not simply re-hash them, but like many directors, he seems to be one who has only one message to deliver, the first time successfully, followed by a series of hickups. It is really not that it is a horrible film, there is simply very little of note about it.

Despite some of the previous comments this is still a remarkable period piece - yes the acting is wooden at times, but the fact that the actors physically actually grows up during the movie due to the 3 year span in filming, more than makes up for it in my opinion. The two other popular danish movies which takes place at the same period Zappa (1983) followed by Twist and Shout (1984) are arguably better and packs far more emotional punch with better acting. Yes some of the drama in this should have been written differently (an analysis of Hamlet leads to a total meltdown in a character - seriously...), two pregnancy stories is too much and the voice-over is just a bad bad idea which is totally unnecessary. Several characters reading The Catcher In The Rye in the third act, without using it for anything other than a clue to a feeling is also a bit off. Still a lot of the sentiments depicted are everlasting and as a coming of age movie this is far superior to most of its kind produced in America.

I couldn't agree more with Jimpansy. Avoid like the plague. Why doesn't Malmroos see a shrink and get on with his life instead of inflicting his banal teenage traumas on the rest of us. The worst thing about having paid money to see this (all other movies were sold out, and the people I were with wanted to see something) is that it will encourage Malmroos in his delusion that anybody cares, and to keep making more movies. (Actually the same movie over and over). I don't normally post comments, but felt that a warning was in order. No matter how much I try, I honestly can't think of anything positive to say about this movie. And I do like slow movies such as"The weeping camel" and human drama like Ken Loach. Malmroos should start doing something of use for the world such as cleaning or looking after old people.

For the last couple of decades Niels Malmros has made various versions of the same story. This is not an exception. It is however way worse than the previous ones.Acting was ridiculously poor. Especially The girl lead was truly awful. Every piece of dialogue seemed staged and theatrical. No lines were that of 15-16-17 year old students, but rather a elderly mans perception of how they are supposed to talk.The movie is boring to the extreme. In order to counteract this - obviously the boredom issue was apparent even to the instructor - unfunny jokes are put into the script every once in a while. These made me cringe.I do however enjoy poor movies, and this one is memorable. Enjoyable to some extent, but not intentionally so.