The Idiots (2000) Directed by Lars von Trier

Part of The Genius and Misanthropy of Lars von Trier (Dir. #7)

Review by Brendan Peterson: Embrace your inner idiot. That’s the provocative message in this sometimes brilliant, often maddening 2000 film from Danish director Lars von Trier, which asks the simple question: “What is normal?” As a follow up to the heartbreaking, intimate story of one woman’s struggle for a religious experience in 1996's “Breaking the Waves,” von Trier takes a broader view of the world and aims his critique at the whole of society. “The Idiots” is the second film in von Trier's “Golden Heart Trilogy” and is his only that adheres completely to the Dogme 95 tenants he and Thomas Vinterberg created. Part comedy, part commentary, “The Idiots” concerns a group of seemingly intelligent, middle-class Danes that are sick and tired of life. Fed up with the unquestioned rules of reality and so-called laws of civility and hygiene, they do what comes naturally: they pretend they're mentally retarded and aggressively insert themselves into mainstream culture. This includes drooling in public, harassing innocent strangers with proclamations of nonsense and attempting physical feats of stupidity (like skiing down a hill with no snow). Imagine "Jackass" for the arthouse crowd.

The idea is that by “spassing” in public, this crew of crazies will undermine accepted rules of behavior and discover a more fundamental truth about human nature. Maybe, but some would just call them irritating, before calling the cops. And anyone looking for a storyline should check elsewhere; “The Idiots” is a free-flowing, impulsive orgy of anarchy and ideas. The intriguing main characters include Karin (Bodil Jorgensen), a lonely, depressed woman who's drawn into the anti-bourgeois commune, and Stoffer (Jens Albinus), the megalomaniacal, unofficial leader of the cult who draws her in. Together, the film’s idiots proclaim war against the aimless, non-creative zombies of the world by embracing taboo behaviors. They manage to create anarchy everywhere they go, including restaurants, swimming pools and factories, while willfully annoying, disturbing and shocking anyone they come across. But looking past all of the eccentric hoopla and hijinx, this is Karin’s story, as she explores a new lifestyle and tries her best to maintain both her identity and sanity.

Like most von Trier, ”The Idiots” is chock full of provocative ideas on social behaviors, politics, religion, and human nature, to name the most obvious. The film’s form and content are a match made in heaven; von Trier's filmmaking techniques thwart the rules of conventional filmmaking much in the same way the characters subvert what's acceptable in society. The acting is likewise compelling, as the largely unscripted story draws strong, improvisational performances from a game cast who often make surprising choices as they search for truth alongside their characters. The character of Axel joins the group after succumbing to the pressures of newfound parenthood, lending some affecting, if somewhat inconsistent resonance to a film that could otherwise be seen as simply exploitation.

Raw and experimental, “The Idiots” is always intriguing and mostly engaging, but often feels like a filmmaking exercise. The reality is that this is a thesis statement more than entertainment. Lars von Trier's worldview permeates every frame of the film, addressing his concerns with society while still providing an escape route for the unconverted through the depth of his characterizations. My only real complaint is that in an effort to communicate reality in the most honest way he can, von Trier can't always connect with these characters and communicate a meaningful story. One simple, and obvious, example is the restless handheld camera that wonderfully captures the films tense, unpredictable tone, but also distances us from the people on screen. It’s hard to bond with these people in situations when we don’t ever get to slow down and take it all in. But this is a Lars von Trier joint! He’s not going to make it easy. He’s going to prod us, poke us, and provoke us until we say “Uncle!” Or at least until we start drooling like Idiots.

Last Word: Lars von Trier's sole trip into the land of Dogme 95 yields a provocative, raw examination of the grey areas between societal norms and human nature.