Let's be honest: this is a well-made film that most American teens will absolutely not want to watch. It's a slow, austere Danish period piece about a guy whose ambition ruins him. Critics loved it, but that 77% audience score tells you what you need to know—even adults who chose to watch it had mixed feelings.
If you have a mature high schooler who genuinely enjoys foreign films, literary adaptations, or is exploring themes of ambition and class for school, this could spark meaningful conversations. The moral complexity is real, and the craftsmanship is solid.
But if you're looking for something to watch with your teen on a Friday night? Hard pass. This is homework-adjacent viewing that requires subtitles, patience, and an appetite for tragic character studies. It's enriching in theory, but in practice, you'll be watching alone while your kid scrolls TikTok.





