Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002)

the audience applauded

One of my all time favorites.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Blistering performances.

I noticed that IMDb lists this as belonging to three genres--comedy, drama and romance. Well, this is a strange combination and the film is NOT a comedy. Folks should be aware of this, as the movie could seriously depress you and make you feel miserable when you're just looking to have a laugh.Wilbur (Jamie Sives) is a screwed up guy. Again and again and again he tries to kill himself but each time he's discovered and rushed to the hospital. It's happened so often that the support group at the hospital doesn't want him back! And, during all this, his very decent brother, Harbour (Adrian Rawlins) is there for him--and amazingly patient in spite of all this--perhaps too patient. Part of this might be because he loves Wilbur, but later you find that it might have to do with the reason Wilbur feels a need to die.Despite all this chaos, Harbour decides to marry and he brings a woman and her young daughter into the household. What's to happen with Wilbur? And, what's to happen to everyone when Harbour learns some very, very bad news?The acting in this film is very restrained but good. However, I cannot score the film higher because the script is so odd--starting off somewhat like a comedy and then leaving the viewer wanting to kill themselves as well! Dark, depressing and definitely a film that will only appeal to a narrow audience.

This film is about the life of a man who looks after his suicidal brother, after their parents passed away."Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself" has a very engaging plot. The characters are all portrayed so well that makes you care about them very much. Several scenes are particularly effective, such as the heartbreaking cries of finding Wilbur in the bathtub, or the awkward silences in the Chinese restaurant. The emotional journeys of the characters are also very interesting, as two of the main characters go through from one affective state to another as the film progresses. In addition, a person who should be positive (the nurse) has a strikingly negative view of life, while the person who is expected to be negative remains so positive and psychologically strong. "Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself" is a very interesting and engaging look at the psychological journey of a troubled family.

I think it being four stars, having one or two good people and the title was what persuaded me to try this film. Basically good-hearted Harbour North (Adrian Rawlins) has spent years trying to look after his motherless, recently now fatherless, and suicidal young brother Wilbur (Jamie Sives). They are inseparable and inherit their father's second-hand bookshop, and one day cleaning lady Alice (Shirley Henderson) with her daughter Mary (Lisa McKinlay) enters the shop and their lives. She helps them by selling the books patients have left behind as the hospital she works at. Harbour falls in love with Alice, and Wilbur with Mary, and soon enough all four of them are entwined, Wilbur has found a good reason to keep living, while Harbour is coming to terms with the fact he is slowly dying of an incurable condition. Also starring Casino Royale's Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Horst, Julia Davis as Moira and Susan Vidler as Sophie. Apparently this was meant to be a black comedy, well it was certainly quite dark viewing, but I didn't find myself laughing a lot, but I guess it is worth seeing, at least once. Good!

I've given this movie a five based purely on the strength of the performances and competent editing, pacing, shot composition, etc. I admired Lone Scherfig (the director's) previous film, Italian For Beginners, and respect her abilities, and while parts of the film were enjoyable enough, the last half left a bad taste in my mouth.I found the characters of Wilbur and Alice (though I liked the actors) to be so self centered and morally bankrupt that on hindsight I wish that Wilbur had done himself in in the first scene, or the fourth scene, or the seventh scene...whatever. I don't always need to like characters, and perhaps since this was sold as a "black comedy" what I was expecting from the film was skewed. There are comic moments, but this is no comedy. I know a sort of moral ambiguity is a distinct characteristic of Danish cinema, and am actually a fan of Lars Von Trier's work and films that push conventional ideas of human relationships, but this particular turn of events was just distasteful to me. I kind of felt duped. Maybe I'll warm to the film with time, but that's my take. Wilbur was a complete tool. That's what I came away from this movie with. But once again, kudos to the actors and direction. Loved the film-making, disliked the film.