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Dancer in the Dark

Play trailer Poster for Dancer in the Dark R 2000 2h 20m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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69% Tomatometer 120 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Selma is a Czech immigrant, a single mother working in a factory in rural America. Her salvation is passion for music, specifically, the all-singing, all-dancing numbers found in classic Hollywood musicals. Selma harbors a sad secret: she is losing her eyesight and her son Gene stands to suffer the same fate if she can't put away enough money to secure him an operation. When a desperate neighbor falsely accuses Selma of stealing his savings, the drama of her life escalates to a tragic finale.
Dancer in the Dark

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Dancer in Dark can be grim, dull, and difficult to watch, but even so, it has a powerful and moving performance from Bjork and is something quite new and visionary.

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Critics Reviews

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David Ansen Newsweek 03/07/2018
Dancer is like no other movie around. Shot in bleached-out video colors in rough, hand-held style, the film is at once aggressively modern and deliberately, melodramatically, old-fashioned. Go to Full Review Peter Matthews Sight & Sound 12/02/2002
The situations that writer-director Lars von Trier serves up here might be embarrassingly florid, but the coupling of his manipulative skills and Björk's showy intensity results in a movie with the force of an emotional bulldozer. Go to Full Review Liam Lacey Globe and Mail 03/19/2002
2.5/4
At least Dancer in the Dark is bad in a complicated way. Go to Full Review Theo Estes The Spool 10/08/2020
Dancer in the Dark critiques the relentless optimism of mid-century movie musicals, but it also puts the American cultural narrative under the microscope. Go to Full Review Michael J. Casey Boulder Weekly 07/25/2020
4/5
Björk plays Selma, a Czech immigrant suffering from a degenerative eye disorder. It's a rare, hereditary disease, and it'll steal her sight but not the song in her heart. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/05/2019
4/4
A sweeping denunciation of the myth of the American dream-the idealized America put forth by escapist Hollywood fare. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Noah H. @Noah85 Jan 26 Great music by Bjork and really cool visuals but the ending was WAAAAAAAY too depressing for me. See more Richard M. @Poncy Dec 6 Excellent movie and outstanding performance from Bjork See more Roberto d @RT16186931 Nov 9 Absolutely incredible and devastating movie. Bjork shine so bright with her shy and valorous Selma. Bjork delivers amazing songs and Spirituous act. All that you don’t expect of a musical. A Beautiful and Brutal movie. You must watch it. See more Tom F @RT55173143 Nov 7 If you want to see Bjork play a factory worker going blind with occasional reveries in the form of elaborate musical numbers, this is the movie for you. See more Yossam I @Yossam Oct 17 Denmark's enfant terrible Lars von Trier finally won the Camme Palme d'Or for this postmodern deconstructive musical featuring a stunning performance by Bjork. See more meg M. @OneEyedmm Sep 21 I get how this movie isn’t for everyone… but if it is for you, it’s incredible. The acting is astonishing from Bjork. And while the majority is filmed in very washed out handhelds, the musical numbers are shot on 100 cameras in beautiful saturated colors. The story is heartbreaking and very relatable. But for sure a film for “film” people. See more Read all reviews
Dancer in the Dark

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Lars von Trier

Director

Björk

Selma Jezkova

Catherine Deneuve

Kathy

David Morse

Bill

Cara Seymour

Linda

Peter Stormare

Jeff

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Dancer in the Dark

Dancer in the Dark (2000) Dancer in the Dark (2000) Dancer in the Dark (2000) Dancer in the Dark (2000) Dancer in the Dark (2000) Selma (Björk). Selma (Björk). Director Lars von Trier on the set. Selma (Björk) and cast. Selma (Björk). View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Selma is a Czech immigrant, a single mother working in a factory in rural America. Her salvation is passion for music, specifically, the all-singing, all-dancing numbers found in classic Hollywood musicals. Selma harbors a sad secret: she is losing her eyesight and her son Gene stands to suffer the same fate if she can't put away enough money to secure him an operation. When a desperate neighbor falsely accuses Selma of stealing his savings, the drama of her life escalates to a tragic finale.
Director
Lars von Trier
Producer
Peter Aalbæk Jensen, Vibeke Windeløv
Screenwriter
Lars von Trier
Distributor
Fine Line Features
Production Co
Trust Film Svenska, Pain Unlimited GmbH Filmproduktion, France 3 Cinéma, arte France Cinéma, Zentropa Entertainment France, Zentropa Entertainment, Slot Machine
Rating
R (Some Violence)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 6, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.2M
Runtime
2h 20m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)