jhofnug At first I did not know what to make of this film. I was disappointed, but it felt like I had probably missed something, like there must be some underlying message which I was most likely not interpreting correctly. I spent days trying to figure it out, and then I realized it: both critics who say this film is boring and a waste of time, and those who say it is an entertaining depiction of our human nature have missed the point.The perfect human, as shown in it's true form in this "documentary", has no responsibilities, no space, no time and no subjectivity at all; the perfect human only knows his own needs (sleeping, eating, making love), he is constantly idle, alienated and empty. The perfect human is a profoundly uninteresting creature. From this perspective, the apparent pointlessness of the film is precisely the point which the film is trying to make: that perfection is dull, silly and undesirable. It portrays our human nature by reaching inside us as viewers (and not by leading us inside the characters of the film) and making us feel estranged from our own dynamic reality - the imperfect reality that actually makes us perfectly humans.

TheDelusionist Shot in beautiful, bright, black & white, Jørgen Leth's The Perfect Man, although literally "the perfect human begin" (which makes more sense since there's also a woman in it) is one of the most perplexing and unique short films ever made. While short films are usually played for laughs or a punch line, Det perfekte menneske is more interested in aesthetics than making a point. The film doesn't have a narrative in a strict sense, but simply presents us with mundane activities and facts revolving around the perfect human being. Adding a layer of mystery and surreal, the perfect human himself directly addresses his audience telling us about a weird incident that happened to him. Although we don't get what he really means, at the end of the film he explains that we will understand "in a few days".While I'm not sure we can ever understand what it means; the film has an incredible staying power, especially if you like a good riddle à la David Lynch. Det perfekte menneske (I love how that sounds in Danish) is a good example of social commentary, without being pretentious or preachy. It presents us with "facts" and leaves the viewer the interpretation of a larger meaning, even though its author certainly had its own vision and ideas when he made the film. The tranquil and soothing clarinet music, helps creating a distinct atmosphere and puts you almost in the mindset of a "brainwashing" video. In fact the whole film is very clinical in its analysis of the perfect man. The director becomes like a doctor treating a patient, his character. The empty, white rooms, the minimalist set design and the bright lighting help creating the atmosphere of a hospital or even insane asylum, where the routines of everyday life are exposed for their meaninglessness.I first saw this short film in the context of Lars von Trier's Five Obstructions (2003) in which he challenges Jørgen Leth to remake his own film. Ever since watching that excellent documentary, I was occasionally reminded of this short film and felt the need to re-visit it. What I appreciate most about it is its simplicity. It is a stunning work of art and yet it's about nothing in particular. It manages to be entertaining without a plot. It is about everything – the whole human experience – while appearing to be about nothing, on the surface. It can be viewed in different cultural contexts and time frames, re-interpreted, discussed and quoted. I like to quote it, although I haven't met anyone that got the reference yet, but I have a great affinity for Danish humor. Growing up in a German-speaking area, I can see many similarities in the language and culture – I am always fascinated with the typically Scandinavian quirks.

MartinHafer When Jørgen Leth made this short art film, I'm sure he was very pleased with himself as all the intelligentsia agreed that it was brilliant. After all, what's better than a Danish-language film made in black & white that consists of no plot but a man and woman who are non-emotive and do lots of moronic repetitive actions set to a pointless narration? This is the height of greatness for the artsy-fartsy folks who like to watch incomprehensible films and laugh in a self-satisfying way when others say they think the film is a waste of time. While I have seen many, many international films and have done a ton of reviews on IMDb, I just can't see much point to this sort of stuff BUT at the same time I hate the fare that Hollywood has been churning out for some time. Can't you want something different and yet not have it be as banal as DET PERFEKTE MENNESKE? Watch this film only if you have a tremendous need to be self-satisfied or if you actually enjoy being bored out of your mind. Don't say I didn't warn you.FYI--This banal little film is included on the DVD for THE FIVE OBSTRUCTIONS--a series of updated versions of this film. While not much fun to watch, THE FIVE OBSTRUCTIONS is better and more watchable (though this isn't saying much).

Arne Kristian Lindmo This is an interesting little movie. It explores the concept of "the perfect human" through close studies of a "perfect" male and a "perfect" female. The movie asks a lot of questions but does not try to answer them. I don't feel like I fully understood the picture and it felt a bit too artistic for its own good. I chose to view it as an attempt to ridicule our conceptions of what it means to be "perfect". Some scenes were outright funny, while others were just confusing (especially in the shaving sequence). This movie is essential viewing if one plans to see Lars Von Triers "The Five Obstacles" which is a very good documentary where the director, Jørgen Leth gets to re-make his short movie 5 times but under different, more difficult circumstances. As entertainment I rate it slightly above average. As art? I don't know.