Opening 6 Oct 2005
Directed by:
Thomas Vinterberg
Writing credits:
Lars von Trier
Principal actors:
Jamie Bell, Bill Pullman, Michael Angarano, Danso Gordon, Novella Nelson
Dick (Jamie Bell of Billy Elliot) is a young misfit in a small town in America’s West. Having lost his Mother when he was very young, and being alienated from his father, Dick is raised by the housekeeper Clarabelle (Novella Nelson). Too weak to work in the mine with the real men, Dick works in the grocery store stocking shelves. It is in this grocery store that he meets another who isn’t good enough for the mines, Stevie (Mark Webber). Eventually a strange friendship is forged between the two after Stevie introduces Dick to Bad Steel. Bad Steel is Stevie’s gun. Dick, a self-proclaimed pacifist, is at first shocked. When he learns that Stevie is oddly enough a pacifist as well, a strange alliance is formed. The two young men find confidence and pride, invite the other "freaks" in town to join them, and soon after name themselves the "Dandies". The misfits find themselves, and Dick finds love, through guns personified. A downward spiral into obsession and insanity and an attempt to do one right at all costs trigger tragedy.
Dear Wendy is an extremely powerful commentary on American society through a love letter, with a soundtrack that couldn’t be better. It is a brilliant composition of image, dialogue, music, and message. Written by Lars von Trier and directed by Thomas Vinterberg, it is the type of film one either loves or hates. I, personally, was blown away. (Shauna Keeley)
