The Bench

"He has a life, he isn't proud of, and a past that he doesn't want to remember."

2000 1h 29m DA

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 37

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Kaj is a stubborn man with a great deal of pride. The former chef lives in a council flat. He has wasted his life and is now on a council job training scheme for the long-term unemployed, where he refuses to let the foreman of the activation project boss him about. When Kaj's daughter, with whom he has not been in touch for nineteen years, moves into the same council estate on the run from her violent husband, a change comes over Kaj. His initial instinct is to avoid her, but by chance he ends up helping to look after Jonas, her six-year-old son. For the first time for years Kaj need not survive on his own devices. Now he has responsibilities and a family of his own.

“He has a life, he isn't proud of, and a past that he doesn't want to remember.”

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Cast

Jesper Christensen
Kaj
Nicolaj Kopernikus
Stig
Jens Albinus
Kim
Sarah Boberg
Connie
Lars Brygmann
Lars
John Martinus
Toilet Attendant
Petrine Agger
Nurse
Anette Støvelbæk
Kim's Neighbor

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Per Fly
Writers: Kim Leona, Per Fly
Languages: Danish
Countries: Denmark

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

89 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

26 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Part of the "Per Fly trilogien (Samling)" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Halfdan E. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Morten Giese shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jesper Christensen and Nicolaj Kopernikus and Jens Albinus carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "He has a life, he isn't proud of, and a past that he doesn't want to remember.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0245027 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Per Fly directs. Halfdan E scores. Morten Giese cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Denmark. Dialogue in Danish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
226 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Part of the "Per Fly trilogien (Samling)" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Original score by Halfdan E. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Morten Giese shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Jesper Christensen and Nicolaj Kopernikus and Jens Albinus carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "He has a life, he isn't proud of, and a past that he doesn't want to remember.".
8IMDB entry: tt0245027 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 37 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.