EskeRahn
The text behind this film has a title the directly translated would be something like "With the best of intentions".And the whole point of the original text was to on one side describe what went on back then, but not the least to point out that what we today see as horrible imperialistic thing done to the native people, was seen in an entirely different light when it happened. Back then people really believed that these poor kids would be better of if they were being 'enlightened' by being given a 'Modern Western' upbringing, as the natives were seen as being 'backwards'.Basically a story we find al over the world from Australia in the south over the Indians in the Americas to Greenland in the north. (and certainly not limited to these three)So the story is an example of "The road to hell is paved with good intentions".But this film TOTALLY misses this crucial point, and simply depicts the whole story from a modern point of view, just condemning all they did.
And of course it is good that this sad sad story is told, for those that have not heard it, so we in the west (hopefully?) can learn from our faults.But to me it is MUCH worse that we did these horrible things, and thought they were good!This leads to the much deeper perspective, that what we today do, and think as good, might in fifty years be seen as absolutely appalling!And this film COMPLETELY misses the chance to teach us this crucial lesson from the original text.The film as such, have good acting by the kids, but the main character's role are so horrible one dimensional that I do not think we can blame the actress - it is the director that 'simply' missed the central axis of the story.
BUT if you can ignore this blunder - or see through it, the film is tolerable.
(I marked this review as containing spoilers, it can be debated if that makes sense for a docudrama...)
robert-macc
This movie has to be most implausible and dumbest movie ever made. Denmark has been one of the most cruel, merciless colonial powers ever. For this very reason, this movie is completely nonsense, and doesn't make any sense.Let's address the main problem with this movie: ASSIMILATION PROGRAM. What country that goes into another's land to rob, conquer and loot them would do a program like that. "Assimilation" assumes the nation likes the people and wants to lift their standard of living, which Denmark never has done.It's well known that Denmark oppressed the Inuits for centuries. How come this movie isn't in the history books? Could it be because a situation like that is so impossible and implausible? Folks, skip this movie. This movie is hilariously bad.
max planc
The movie defaults on exposition early on as it is explicitly states its entire theme in bold letters in 3 - 4 paragraphs displayed before the beginning of the film. What we get after that is a decently lensed but horribly scripted drama that is extremely confused about its own intentions.The child actors are very good indeed but the lead performance by the actress playing Gert was horrible as well, one moment dominatrix, another moment motherly, it was all unconvincing as hell.The entire drama was so vague but so on-the-nose about its theme (WE WRONGED GREENLAND) it was actually infuriating. Avoid at all costs.