Susanne Bieris a Danish film director, screenwriter, and producer. Best known for her feature filmsAfter the WeddingandNetflix’sBird Box, Bier has managed to make a name for herself as a distinguished director with a unique style and purpose in her films. Indeed, her films typically focus on the traditional family framework, with a special focus on how families manage crises. Bier is the first female director who has managed to snag a Golden Globe, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a European Film Award.
With decades of work under her belt, Bier has cranked out a number of successes. With the anticipated release of hernewest ventureThe First Lady, an American TV series revolving around the lives of former First Ladies Michelle Obama (Viola Davis), Betty Ford (Michelle Pfeiffer), and Eleanor Roosevelt (Gillian Anderson) during their husbands' respective time as Presidents of the United States, it’s only right that we look back on some of Bier’s finest works. While Bier has reached into both TV and film, her films show more of her focus on themes that she wishes to do an exposé on, like infidelity. These are the best movies directed by Susanne Bier, ranked.
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7The One and Only
The One and Onlyis a romance film that follows the story of Sus (Sidse Babett Knudson), a married woman whose relationship with her husband begins to crumble, leading her to fall for someone else’s husband, Niller (Niels Olsen). This Danish film is one of Bier’s first successes, being the third-biggest box-office success of the 1990s in Denmark. It marked a modern transition for Danish romantic comedies, beginning a new, more modern era for rom-coms.The One and Onlyearned itself a Robert Award and a Bodil Award for Best Film of 1999.
6Open Hearts
Engaged couple Cecilie and Joachim suffer a tragedy when Joachim gets into a car crash that renders him a paraplegic. While Cecilie oversees Joachim’s care at the hospital, she meets Niels, a doctor whom she leans on for moral support. Eventually, Cecilie discovers that Niels’ wife is responsible for Joachim’s accident, but this does nothing to stop the affair between Cecilie and Niels.Open Heartshas been subject to exceedingly positive reviews and received the International Critics Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film also earned Bier both the Bodil and the Robert Award for Best Danish Film of 2003.
Brothersfollows Danish Army Officer Michael who winds up imprisoned when his mission in Afghanistan goes terribly wrong. Michael’s disappearance and presumed death leads his drifter brother Jannik to pull his life together to take care of Michael’s family. Jannik and Michael’s wife Sarah grow close and eventually develop deep feelings for one another that they are unable to ignore. This causes tension when Michael is found and returned home, only to discover that his brother has fallen in love with his wife. The film was met with moderate success and, as a result,inspired an American remakeunder the same title.Brotherswas also adapted into an opera based on the film composed by Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason.
4Things We Lost in the Fire
Starring Benecio del Toro and Halle Berry,Things We Lost in the Firetells the story of Audrey, a single mom of two, who recently lost her husband under tragic circumstances. As Audrey struggles to manage her grief, she tracks down her husband’s childhood friend Jerry, who has turned into a drug addict. Despite Jerry’s erratic behavior, Audrey insists on Jerry moving into her family’s home. The two bond over their emotional damages and develop a mutually beneficial relationship.Things We Lost in the Firewas met with rather mixed reviews with many seeing the plot as far too cliché to have any real substance to it, while others praised the film’s complexity and the performance’s from Berry and de Toro.
Related:These Are Halle Berry’s Best Performances, Ranked
Bird Boxis a post-apocalyptic horror film based on a novel of the same name. A very pregnant Malorie (Sandra Bullock) finds herself in trouble when unknown entities arrive and inexplicably cause anyone who looks at them to commit suicide. The film explores life during and after the arrival of the entities, with total chaos ensuing upon their arrival as mass suicides arise. Meanwhile, Malorie is seen transporting two young children with blindfolds on to protect them all from the entities.Bird Box’s popularity skyrocketed shortly after its release for the original concept, with special praise for Bullock’s performance, even leading to a “Bird Boxblindfold challenge” in which some would play popular video games while blindfolded. A sequel has been in development since 2020, and it was recently revealed that a Spanish-language spin-off is also in the works, which is set to be one of manyBird Boxspin-offs.
2In a Better World
In a Better Worldfollows the story of a traveling doctor who travels back and forth between his home of Denmark and an African refugee camp Anton. Anton’s domestic life is complicated by the marital struggle and his son suffering from bullying at school. When a new boy moves to town and befriends Elia, Anton and Elias find contentment until a tragic act occurs to rock their boat once again.In a Better Worldwon Best Foreign Language Film as the Danish Entry at the Academy Awards and also took home a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film among many other accolades.
1After the Wedding
Jacob Peterson worries that his orphanage may be closed due to a lack of funds until he receives an offer of $4 million of conditional money from a wealthy businessman. In order to earn the money he needs to keep his orphanage open, he must return to Denmark and take part in the wedding of the businessman’s daughter. Little did Jacob know what would happen when his past and present collide at the wedding, leading him to make a difficult decision.After the Weddingwas subject to great critical success and was even nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. The film was remade in English, starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams, and was released in 2019.
