The Commune movie review & film summary (2017)

When Erik (Ulrich Thomsen), a professor of architecture, inherits his gigantic childhood home, he assumes he'll have to put it on the market right away. He and his wife Anna (Trine Dyrholm) have only one daughter, 14-year-old Freja (Martha Sofie Wallstrøm Hansen), and the house is far too big for just three people. Anna, a television news anchor, suggests that they invite some friends to live with them. Share the costs, of course, but also to liven up their humdrum lives a bit. Anna is open about her own boredom in her relationship with Erik: "I need to hear someone else speak. Otherwise I'll go mad." The plan gathers steam. One friend signs up, then another. Eventually, the group gels together. They hold formal interviews for new members. They go skinny-dipping together to celebrate their new life, and walk across the street en masse, holding up traffic like rock stars.

There are two children who live in the suburban commune, the aforementioned Freja, and one couple brings their son, a small solemn child with a heart condition. Vinterberg grew up in such a community. It seems like it would be great to be a child in such an environment, surrounded by adults who are not your relatives, people coming and going, leaving you to your own devices. Vinterberg focuses a lot on Freja, her wary watchful face. She's only 14. She lives in a house with 10 adults, most of whom are drunk the majority of the time. Hansen is a wonderful actress, a beautifully strong presence.

In "The Commune," life is first one, long, drunken party. The group cooks together, cleans together, eats together. They touch base nightly, keeping a running chart on how everyone is doing. (This situation would be an exhausting nightmare for introverts.) Being truthful and open is required. Anything hidden will fester and cause problems. When Erik starts an affair with a young student named Emma (Helene Reingaard Neumann), he opens up to Anna about it. She is stunned and hurt, but instead of asking him to move out, suggests that he have Emma move in with the group. What could go wrong?