A very challenging and gutsy film portraying an interesting, yet slightly disturbing outlook to society but one that shouldn't be ignored. Von Trier seems to suggest that maybe our childhood 'idiotic' mannerisms are supposed to stay with us because they seem to naturally provide us with happiness and in this state we all act on the same level, supporting one another with smiles on our faces! The final scene really struck me, as Karen ate her food like a child but in these surroundings, in todays world, with her family this was considered wrong, therefore she was smacked round the face by her husband, connoting a mother smacking her child. Von Trier proposes if she is happy doing so, why is it necessarily wrong? Von Trier obviously believes that maybe we are all brainwashed into believing that this way of behaviour is wrong, I don't think he expects us to encourage idiotic ways to our children but I get the impression he sees our society of good and evil and wonders if maybe it's designed to be wholly good and we went wrong somewhere, maybe too much formality in our upbringing? Maybe we're supposed to act like idiots as we do as children. This is what provides eternal happiness? Why would this idiot be inside us in the first place? The characters outside the group also emphasize this, Josephine's father and the man from the council who both seem to have everyday formal morales which only come in and cause upset! If I have read it correctly, I feel that the views brought across by this film are done in a very shocking way but there's no doubt they are effective. The created image is very far fetched but when you look at it from a real distance, you can see the roots of the idea. I will never agree nor disagree with this film and I don't think it should or will change society but I always admire such an original and deep attempt to a piece of work! It's very easy to criticize and dislike such a brain pusher. Personally, I find it hard to dislike real challenging work like this.
