The Worst Film Ever

hyped garbage

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

"Where along the way did so many parents around the world forget that chickadees grow up and must stretch their wings and leave the nest?"*NOTE - If you're here to read reviews before seeing this movie...if at all possible, watch the 'short' simply titled "Dennis" BEFORE watching this - they're directly connected.I was channel-surfing and came upon the 'short' "Dennis" on "The Film Fest" channel and decided to watch...and, it was as good as it was disturbing. Then, I also found "Teddy Bear" on the 'same' channel - even better, but, no less disturbing.This is a very well-made movie and good story that hits very close to home for me, and...I'm sure, for most everyone else who's seen it. Over the years, I've actually had friends, and, girlfriends, who, if not for a bossy and dominating parent, or parents, would have been quite happier and more successful in their social and professional lives; not to mention, their own 'parental' lives."Teddy Bear" is about this same kind of typical clingy, lonely, and, selfish mom who just cannot let go of her very-adult son; and, the brainwashed adult son who's never left mommy's home and has been raised to believe that his 'mom' is, and, always will be, the focal point of his life and the only woman who will ever love him!?!? The entire concept of this is abnormal and disgusting, but, it happens all over the world, every day...usually, but, not limited to, moms and their 'momma's-boy' sons.Right away, you can tell that 'Dennis,' the protagonist, is a very good, honest, gentle, and, respectful man who has a bright future both socially and professionally; but, he's also a 38-year-old, socially-odd prisoner in this own limited world that is run by his mom who's 'trained' him since conception that 'mommy knows best' and 'mommy is best.' She also tells Dennis that "Men can't be trusted," but, oddly, she keeps Dennis, a man, at home with her!?!? Seems to me that 'mom' would be doing the 'female-world' a big favor by releasing her son unto them as he obviously 'can' be trusted to be good to a woman since 'she's' kept him around her all of his life!?!? No! She's clingy, lonely, and, selfish!Dennis' mom always wants to know where Dennis is; whom he's with; whom he was with; what he's doing; what he's been doing; etc. (I couldn't stand my mom asking me these questions when I was 10!). My parents cut me loose when I was 18; but, I've had friendships and relationships ruined because of parents just like the mom depicted in this movie, and,...it's pathetic! I couldn't believe that these adult-friends of mine actually listened to their parents when orders were barked at them as if we were all kids again!?!? It's a sickening situation somewhere in between 'Bobby Boucher' in "The Waterboy" and 'Norman Bates' in "Psycho."Even before it ever happened, I could read Dennis' mom like a Greek tragedy, as I've been there before! I knew it was coming, but, before he even mentioned the word 'girlfriend' to his mom, I knew she'd become all 'woe is me;' and, 'what about me;' and, 'how could you do this to me;' and, 'ME, ME, ME!' Never "DENNIS"...only "ME!" This movie is an exact blueprint for how parents shouldn't be towards their adult sons and daughters; and, at the same time, a reverse-barometer of how adult sons and daughters shouldn't react to their parents and their interference...show a mind of your own and some backbone!I can't remember where, but, I'm certain that I once read something along the lines of "When you get married, you divorce your parents." Parents, the world over, should wise-up to this concept; and, adult-children who still feel the need to remain fledglings should do the same and 'grow up!' This kind of 'parental domination' can not only prevent relationships and marriage, but, it can cause divorce! This kind of domineering parent will also breed contempt in a child; as well as get the child to lie to the parent when they want something, or, want to do something, that they know the parent will object to...which is anything and everything that doesn't include the parent.Dennis is a great guy, but, he's been conditioned all his life to be a life-long servant by and to a mom who married a man who was an alcoholic (probably because she pulled these same stunts and guilt-trips with hubby and it drove him to drinking!?!?).Dennis' mom is a 'ball-and-chain-pain-in-the-butt' who couldn't imprison her husband, so, she turned to her son for the same attention and subservience. Clinically speaking, Dennis' mom is a 'urogenital opening just anterior to the anus.' (I had to give this definition as vulgarity is forbidden on IMDb...but, you get the gist).This is a very good movie that opens up a lot of eyes and minds; but, it also opens up a lot of old wounds and bad memories of friends who could'a, should'a, would'a been...if not for a parent like this!?!?.BOTTOM LINE - If you have a good son/daughter like Dennis...don't be a bad mom like Ingrid! Let him/her go out and enrich the world! :)

Directed by Mads Matthiesen, who co-wrote the screenplay with Martin Zandvliet, this is a disturbing movie about a very likable guy, the teddy bear of the title.Dennis is a professional body builder, a huge hulking man who is a gentle giant of 38. He still lives with his mother in her home, and at first I thought she suffered from dementia because of the ultra politeness of Dennis's dealings with her, never arguing, doing whatever she said, sharing the bathroom with her in the mornings. However, it became clear that his mother was a controlling, very subtle monster who kept her son at a pre-school level in their relationship. Dennis is played very well by Kim Kold in what appears to be his first, maybe only movie appearance. Kold is indeed a professional body builder. His mother is played by Elsebeth Steentoft, a professional actress who is incredibly expressive without moving a muscle. Most of the cast have no other movie experience, and Matthiesen did a wonderful job getting a professional quality performance from everyone. The plot of the movie is whether Dennis can separate himself from his mother, and I found my self rooting for him along the way. His disagreements with his mother never have raised voices, are based on her subtle manipulation of his feelings toward her, and require her to keep him as her little boy. She refers occasionally to men being disappointments and to Dennis's father, whom Dennis never knew, and her greatest reproof of Dennis is to tell him that he's like his father. The struggle for control over Dennis's freedom is never out in the open.Dennis's struggle is as subtle as his mother's control, so the drama of his journey is without rage or tears. Just the lonely journey to independence that he should have taken as a boy, made more difficult by decades of manipulation by his mother. Kold does an excellent job showing the internal conflict without emoting. It's a very good movie.I have the movie on a DVD from filmmovement.com, and the DVD contains two short features by Matthiesen. I don't know whether this is one sick dude or he just likes to explore sick relationships. One of the features is "Dennis," a short version of "Teddy Bear" which shows more of the relationship between Dennis and his mother. The other feature is "Cathrine," which explores the relationship between an overweight 16-year-old girl and a 33-year-old man. As in "Dennis" and "Teddy Bear," Cathrine's parents are controlling, but you can't root for a girl to break free with a man that old -- out of the frying pan and into the fire, I fear.

The Teddy Bear here is a thirty eight year old bodybuilder, Dennis, who lives at home with his domineering mother, Ingrid, in a very disturbing relationship. From the start, it is apparent that his mom has a few screws loose. The opening scene shows Dennis at a restaurant with a woman on a date. He is completely out of sorts and shows the emotional level of a high school boy at the senior prom. Back at home, he tells mommy dearest that he has been to a movie with his friend, Lars. Later on at a dinner, he meets someone with a wife from Thailand, who inspires him to travel there to find a mate. He tells his mother that he is going to Germany instead. In Pataya, he is swarmed by prostitutes and ends up in a very awkward situation with one of them. He meets Toi, and they manage to make a connection. Eventually, mom finds out and the fireworks begin. Kim Kold as Dennis and Elsebeth Steentoft as Ingrid are outstanding in this disturbing and deeply moving look at human nature from Denmark; a definite candidate for best foreign language film at the Oscars.

Danish screenwriter and director Mads Matthiesen's feature film debut which he co-wrote with Danish screenwriter and director Martin Pieter Zandvliet, is based on his short film "Dennis" (2007) and was screened in the World Cinema Dramatic section at the 28th Sundance Film Festival in 2012. It was shot on location in Copenhagen and Omegn in Denmark and Pattaya and Bangkok in Thailand and is a Danish production which was produced by producer Morten Kjems Juhl. It tells the story about Dennis, a 38-year-old bodybuilder who lives in a suburb of Copenhagen with his mother Ingrid. After learning from his uncle Bent that it's easier to come in contact with women in Thailand than in Denmark, he tells his mother that he is attending an upcoming competition in Germany and goes on a journey.Acutely directed by Danish filmmaker Mads Matthiesen, this finely paced fictional tale which is narrated mostly from the main character's point of view, draws a genuinely heartfelt portrayal of a man's search for a girlfriend and his relationship with his mother. While notable for its naturalistic and atmospheric milieu depictions and fine cinematography by Danish cinematographer Laust Trier-Mørk, this character-driven drama depicts a insightful study of character and contains a great score by composer Sune Martin which emphasizes it's lingering atmosphere.This incisively romantic, authentic and touching story about life-altering choices and the gracefulness of human nature, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, subtle character development and continuity, endearing characters and the empathic and heartrending acting performances by Danish actor Kim Kold, actress Chanicha Shindejanichakul and Danish actress Elsebeth Steentoft. A minimalistic and poignant love-story which gained the Directing Award Mads Matthiesen at the 28th Sundance Film Festival in 2012.