In a Better World (2010)

In a Better World (Original title: Hævnen) is a 2010 drama film directed by Susanne Bier and written by Anders Thomas Jensen. It stars Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm and Ulrich Thomsen in a story which takes place in small-town Denmark and a refugee camp in Africa. Its original Danish title is Hævnen, which means "The Revenge". The film was a Danish majority production with co-producers in Sweden. It won the 2011 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards.

Anton (Mikael Persbrandt) is a Swedish doctor who commutes between his home in an idyllic town in Denmark, and his work in a Sudanese refugee camp. In Sudan he often treats female patients who are the victim of one particular sadistic war lord. One day the war lord comes for treatment himself, for a wounded leg. To the horror of his staff and other local people he treats the man, after demanding that no weapons and only a few of his guards are taken inside the hospital. However, after the war lord shows contempt for his victims, Anton drags him away, allowing him to be lynched by local people. Anton is married to Marianne (Trine Dyrholm). They have two young sons, the older one being twelve-year-old Elias (Markus Rygaard), but are separated and struggling with the possibility of divorce. Christian (William Jøhnk Nielsen) is a new boy at school who has just moved from London with his father, Claus (Ulrich Thomsen). Christian's mother recently lost her battle with cancer, and Christian is greatly troubled by her death. He blames his father for lying to him that she would get well, and that, in a late stage of her disease, he "wanted" her death. Elias is bullied at school, until he is defended by Christian, who threatens the bully with a knife. Christian gives Elias the knife, and both boys lie to the police and their parents about the incident. When Anton separates his younger son from another child while they are fighting at a playground, the father of the other child, a mechanic, agressively tells Anton not to touch his child, and slaps him in the face. Urged by Elias not to accept this, Anton visits the mechanic at his work, accompanied by his children and Christian, to discuss the matter and show the children that he is not afraid of the man. The mechanic slaps Anton again, who does not flinch from the blows. Christian and Elias decide to take revenge: they make a bomb to destroy the mechanic's van, on a quiet Sunday morning so that no passers-by are hurt. However, with the fuse already burning they see two joggers approaching, and Elias leaves his position in cover to warn them. He is knocked unconscious, but saves the joggers from harm. Christian is questioned by the police, and then released. He goes to the hospital to visit Elias, but Marianne does not let him, telling him he is a psychopathic murderer. Christian, understanding that Elias is dead, goes to the roof of a silo, contemplating to jump off to kill himself, but he is rescued by Anton. Christian is relieved that Elias is doing well, and he is now allowed to visit him.