Synopsis
Sweden, shortly before Christmas. Surgeon Rickard is told the job he expected goes to a Dane, because of his substance abuse. It's too late to cancel dinner with his in-laws. The guest couple announces their in-vitro is a success. Then Richard's wife learns he cheated her with Sofie. Meanwhile ugly hag Anita trades drugs to afford a taser to use on her ex Olof and his former physiotherapist. Workaholic builder Anders is disgusted by his grieve-deranged client Knut's plan and decides to spend time on his family, not just money.
Your Movie Library
Cast
- Pernilla AugustAgnes
- Jakob EklundRickard
- Leif AndréeMats
- Marie RichardsonSofie
- Peter AnderssonOlof
- Ingvar HirdwallKnut
- Magnus KrepperAnders
- Ann PetrénAnita
- Marika LindströmMona
- Camilla LarssonHelen
Recommendations
- 90
Salon
Masterfully paced and constructed, and the performances are memorable. - 80
Variety
One of the most impressive films to come out of Sweden in the past year. Ace acting, powerful direction and engaging storylines. - 70
The A.V. Club
It maintains a strong enough sense of squirmy humanity that its characters' epiphanies and emotional growth feel both hard-earned and richly deserved. - 67
Entertainment Weekly
The snappish domestic infighting is effectively staged, yet beneath its ''raw'' atmosphere Daybreak traffics in pop-sociological clichés. - 63
New York Post
Dark, depressing drama. - 60
The New York Times
If Daybreak weren't so powerfully acted, its accumulating anguish would be too much to bear. As it is, all three couples, especially Knut and Mona, verge on caricature. - 60
TV Guide Magazine
Runge's coolly photographed, intricately plotted feature is always interesting in its execution, but disappointingly pat in its resolution. - 50
The Hollywood Reporter
The characters are so over-the-top with emotional pain -- that they are hardly credible as characters.
