Dancer in the Dark
Dancer in the Dark
Selma, a Czech immigrant on the verge of blindness, struggles to make ends meet for herself and her son, who has inherited the same genetic disorder and will suffer the same fate without an expensive operation. When life gets too difficult, Selma learns to cope through her love of musicals, escaping life's troubles – even if just for a moment – by dreaming up little numbers to the rhythmic beats of her surroundings.
Kevin Ward reviewedJuly 6, 2025
Björk gives a revelatory performance in Lars Von Trier’s musical drama as Selma, factory worker and single mother with a degenerative eye condition that has her rapidly losing her vision. Though it’s too late for her to have corrective surgery, with the discovery that her son has this genetic condition as well, she works tirelessly to earn enough money while she is physically able, in order to afford the surgery for her son before it’s too late for him as well.
The musical numbers factor in when Selma daydreams about theater. The grainy film and drab factory setting stand in stark contrast to the whimsy of the musical numbers, but are perfectly dissonant together. Though I wouldn’t call myself a Björk fan by any stretch, I can’t deny that her singing voice is enchanting.
It’s a tragic and depressing tale, but completely my
sh🤩.