CIFF: My Good Enemy

By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 11, 2010 3:40PM

This is part of Chicagoist's coverage of the Chicago International Film Festival.

Alf is a perfectly ordinary 12-year old kid. He loves to read comic books and hang out with his younger sister. But he’s also a bit soft-spoken, making him a perfect target for the gang of bullies at his school. Toke, his class’s “fat kid,” has it even worse though. Thanks to some inspiration found in one of his comic books (“Without an ally, I’ll stay small and weak,” says the manga’s hero) Alf teams up with Toke to combat the tormentors head-on. But Toke turns out to be a dangerously apt pupil.

Needless to say, the appearance of My Good Enemy at CIFF is unusually timely. And subtitles or no, this Danish movie is utterly relevant to situations that kids of many nationalities find themselves in. With a lack of parental supervision and such temptations as drug and alcohol appearing in kids’ lives earlier than ever, it’s no wonder that kids like Alf and Toke are well-acquainted with violence even though they’re only tweens. They have no qualms about resorting to violence because, simply put, no one is telling them any differently. The movie’s insights into what causes kids to gang up on each other are aided and abetted by a sharp script and completely believable performances. At only 90 minutes, it’s also tightly paced, with several surprisingly suspenseful moments. But be warned: if you’re a lover of bunny rabbits, prepare to cover your eyes.

My Good Enemy screens October 13, 14, and 16.