A Fortunate Man – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

A Fortunate Man

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2018

48%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Danish period drama about a man whose ambition to escape poverty and join Copenhagen's elite becomes his undoing—basically a 19th-century cautionary tale.

86%

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A Fortunate Man

movie

12, 2018

48%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Danish period drama about a man whose ambition to escape poverty and join Copenhagen's elite becomes his undoing—basically a 19th-century cautionary tale.

86%

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Screenwise Verdict

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.

Age Fit

This is for older teens (16+) and adults who appreciate literary period dramas. Realistically, most teens will find this boring—it's slow, subtitled, and emotionally heavy. Best suited for mature high schoolers interested in foreign cinema or classic literature adaptations, or adults looking for thoughtful drama.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a cautionary tale about pride and ambition destroying a man, based on a classic Danish novel. While there are moral lessons about hubris, the tone is austere and melancholic, with themes of class betrayal, toxic ambition, and emotional devastation. Not emotionally uplifting or modeling positive relationships—it's a tragedy about a man's moral decline.

Imaginative

Period drama set in 19th-century Denmark with strong production values typical of Nordic cinema. The premise of social climbing and class conflict offers some intellectual engagement, but it's a straightforward literary adaptation without particularly innovative storytelling or visual creativity. Solid craftsmanship but not groundbreaking.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates this 16+, suggesting mature themes. As a period drama about ambition and class, likely contains adult emotional content, potentially some sexuality or intense scenes given the Netflix platform and dramatic arc. No specific content warnings available, but the tragic nature and 'pride threatens to be his ruin' suggests emotionally heavy material that could include relationship betrayal, moral compromise, or tragic endings that would be inappropriate for younger viewers.

Enriching

Based on a significant Danish literary work, this offers insight into class dynamics, the costs of ambition, and moral character. Strong critical reception (86% RT critics, 7.2 IMDb) suggests thoughtful execution. The themes of social mobility, pride, and consequence provide material for reflection on values and life choices. However, it's a slow-burn period piece that modern audiences—especially younger ones—will find challenging to engage with.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Strong critical reception (86% on RT) suggests well-crafted storytelling and production values
Based on a significant Danish literary work, offering insight into class dynamics and the psychology of ambition
Explores timeless themes about the cost of success, moral compromise, and what we sacrifice to 'make it'
Could spark discussions about values, authenticity, and whether social mobility is worth losing yourself

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What to Watch For

This is firmly 16+ territory—mature themes about ambition, likely includes adult relationships and emotional intensity
It's a slow-burn period piece: if your teen struggles with subtitled foreign films or slower pacing, this will feel like homework
Tragic trajectory means this isn't feel-good viewing—it's about a man's moral decline, not his triumph
The 'austere roots' and class dynamics might feel distant to modern American teens

Conversation Starters

"Do you think the main character's ambition was justified, or did he betray who he was?"
"What would you be willing to sacrifice to achieve your biggest goals? Where's the line?"
"How do you think class and wealth affect people's choices today versus in the 1800s?"
"If pride is what destroys him, is ambition itself dangerous, or just how he pursued it?"

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