Rating: 
Summary: Björk Gives a Scintillating Performance
Review: This film stars Björk Guðmundsdóttir (as Selma) who proves to us that she is as good an actress as she is a singer. She plays a poor immigrant who is trying to save money to pay for her son's eye operation. Things get worse as she loses her own vision totally and falls victim to a cruel gambler.Lars von Trier directs this graunchy film in the typical camera-swinging style of dogme films. Most of the filming is done in very cool tones which takes a little getting used to, but it does an excellent job of creating an enormous contrast between real life and Selma's day-dream world of song and dance. Catherine Deneuve is convincing in her portrayal of Selma's best friend. She gives this film a real touch of class (as usual). This film will take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride - be warned!
Rating:
Summary: I don't even know what to say.
Review: I saw this movie because I'm a big fan of Bjork's music. This has to be the most gut-wrenching film I've EVER seen. If you're easilly depressed you might need a few friends and some comfort foods to get through this one. I was so upset by the end that I was physically ill and crying uncontrollably. I have to give it 5 stars for pulling such an emotional reaction out of me, a person who rarely cries at films. Bjork's a spectacular actress, and her costars did a stellar job as well.
Rating: 
Summary: This film made me fall in love with Bjork...
Review: While I can't say that this is the greatest picture I've ever seen...(it was at times very depressing, both in storyline and atmosphere, but never boring)...I absolutely fell in love with Bjork. Her performance as Selma was simply captivating. It was apparent to me that the story was a parable of sorts ....so it was all, in a sense, 'fantasy'...not just Selma's daydream sequences. While I continued to be engaged throughout the film, it wasn't until the next day that it really struck me and I felt a deep sadness...(maybe I just needed time to digest it all). What struck me the most was Selma's selfless and unyeilding commitment to 'right the wrong' that she inflicted on her son and the consequences she suffered due to her one "selfish" act (of just wanting to hold a baby). With that said, I would have liked to have seen Selma and her son's relationship explored in a deeper way....it was difficult to really grasp her conviction to help her son given the lack of interaction between them on screen. I would definately recommend this movie....but not if you're looking for a "feel-good" flick. Also, I don't recommend viewing it right before bedtime...(I made that mistake, and had crazy dreams about the characters all night long).
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Movie
Review: I have to admit, at first I wasn't quite sure if I would like this movie or not but I watched it with a friend who told me that I would love it so I gave it a chance. I absolutely love this movie!! I really like how they add in all the musical scenes in with the plot which was very sad though...but I still think it was a great movie to watch and now I am going out to buy it myself!! I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes musicals or even just drama movies because it's a complete mix of the two and well worth it!
Rating:
Summary: One of my all time favorites
Review: First off, no spoilers in this review. In fact, if you haven't read reviews that give away plot details yet, DON'T! I saw this knowing it had Bjork, who I didn't particularly like, that it won the top prize at Cannes, that it was about a blind woman, and that it was sort of a musical. I left the theater feeling gutted. It was painfully uncomfortable to watch. I didn't think I'd ever see it again because it was dark, depressing, upsetting, dreary, etc. But I kept thinking about the movie and got the DVD a few months later when it came out. The DVD is phenomenal, with tons of extras and 2 commentaries which are both very interesting. I gained much more insight into the movie. The second time I watched it, rather than feeling ill, I had an emotional response and cried like a baby. If you are a cold, unfeeling person, and you think governor Bush makes a great leader, by all means don't waste your time with this one. After the 2nd viewing I wanted to see it again. I've since bought every Bjork album that's out there, and she really did make the movie. Some of the movie is hokey, some doesn't quite work, and some of it seems tedious, although not on repeat viewings strangely. Give this movie a chance, and the less you know about the plot, the better.
Rating: 
Summary: An art house melodrama that will leave you crying ...
Review: Im not a von Trier fan - usually his films are too cerebral for their own good. However, here he surrendered himself to the melodramatic story, and made one of the most heartbreaking (and disturbing...) films I've ever seen.
The story is quite a cliche - An almost blind women, tries to save money for a surgery for her son, and of course she finds trouble on the way..
What make this almost silly story so affective is the fact that all characters are extremly human. I dare you to watch the last scene without crying!
Bjork's acting is a bit amateurish, and can become annoying, but she has a certain naive charm that makes you love the character inspite all. Catherine Deneuve is great and her cool style balances Bjork hysteric acting style (almost...).
However, this film continues Von Trier sadistic tendency of taking a bright-eyed, lovable heroine and abusing her so much that you feel like a sadist watching the film....
Rating:
Summary: Bleak, bleak, bleak; not for casual weekend viewing
Review: Lars von Trier is a co-founder and undisputed master of the so-called Dogma filmstyle (a manifesto of cinematic ideals founded in Denmark during the 90s). But if you're new to von Trier, please start off with his masterpiece, "Breaking the Waves," before attempting to take on "Dancer in the Dark." Talk about bleak..."Dancer" makes the gripping, despondent "Waves" look like "Caddyshack" in comparison. Casting Björk as lead Selma Jezkova could have been a train wreck. And to the extent that she and von Trier clashed during filming and will probably never speak again, it was. But that creative tension produced some great work. She's fabulous in this film. She pulls off the most jarring of song-and-dance numbers with aplomb.
von Trier's casting always raises some eyebrows, though. We're supposed to buy off on Björk, Catherine Deneuve (as a character named 'Cathy,' no less) and superb European character actor Peter Stormare as the Selma-smitten 'Jeff,' all aimlessly employed at a nameless backwoods factory in rural Washington during what appears to be the 60s. Really stretches the imagination...especially seeing the regal, elegant Deneuve laboring beside a large machine press. All in all, worth seeing...but only if you've steeled yourself for a very tough, emotional couple of hours.
Rating:
Summary: Breath- taking
Review: This is actually a musical movie; the main character (Björk) sings everywhere in order to forget her worries, by the way, all the songs are composed and performed by herself; she even worked with Thom Yorke in a precious one, I've seen it all. These moments of brightness is the most outstanding in the movie for me, and that's because I'm a big fan of her. Also remarkable is the direction by Lars Von Trier; the camera is always carried on the shoulder of some operator and rarely stops moving. I think that decision is a bit risky, because this way of directing is seldom appreciated, but he does perfectly, managing to make the scenes more beautiful.
Björk really shines with her performance, something hard to believe not being an actress. Von Trier guessed right that only she could portray the character of Selma. It becomes so moving, I mean, her manner of escaping away from the reality and dancing immerse in fantasies of happiness, it's all so gorgeous! Catherine Deneuve is quite good in her role, too.
The movie is so painful all the time because of the terrible situation around Selma and it will end sorrowfully, but at least her wishes will become real.
Rating: 
Summary: bjork is very good
Review: however, i didn't find the story very good. i thought most aspects of the film were quite good, but i felt the story was rather slow and degenerates into a melodramatic mess towards the end. i am not a bjork fan, but she was remarkably good in her part.
Rating:
Summary: Not that manipulative for a tragedy...
Review: Like Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves, this film's heroine is also guilt-ridden. She, Selma, has an eye disease. Yet, out of a desire to hold a baby of her own in her harms, she gets pregnant with a child; a boy. As her son grows older, unfortunately, he, too, will gradually lose his sight. So Selma, a mother without a husband, but fortunately with a job, is saving up enough money to pay for his eye operation. Also, like Breaking the Waves, Dark is a tragedy. However, despite how uncompromising von Trier's screenplay is, the movie never feels very manipulative. The film's heroine isn't dragged into harrowing situations, helplessly. More often than not, it's her own fault. Selma is just too stubborn to not be to be to blame for the conflicts occuring in her life. She lies about not being blind; keeps secrets secretive, even when whether or not she reveals the truth means life or death for her. This characteristic was no doubt the product of being abandoned by her husband, thus being forced to raise herself and her child, alone. Selma may or may not be very bright, either, as you will most likely conclude when the sh** hits the fan. But despite her flaws, Selma is a totally sympathetic character, if only because she's a fan of movie musicals, and will one day lose her ability to ever watch a film again. For film buffs, this is a nightmare. Luckily, though, Selma can dream. Actually, she daydreams, during the dullest moments of her life; whether at work, or while walking home. Interestingly though, her fantasies don't totally allow her to escape her reality. Some dreams push her towards the fate she will face in reality, instead of eschewing her away from them. Bjork, my favorite singer, gives the sort of assured, moving performance, that one might expect of a pro. Sadly, this will probably be her last film. But this isn't the last movie of filmmaker Lars von Trier, one of my favorite directors. How amazing, that such a film is less forceful in its drama than movies that aren't as tragic, or tragic at all.
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