The film immediately establishes its oddball feel with an opening scene showing Björk and Catherine Deneuve participating in a home-style rehearsal of "The Sound of Music." The story centers on Selma, a Czech immigrant living in the United States who is experiencing progressive blindness, a condition she has also passed down to her son. Knowing he still has time for corrective surgery, she diligently works at a tool …

I hold Lars von Trier’s films in high regard, and I appreciate his willingness to try something new by combining dramatic storytelling with musical elements. “Dancer in the Dark” is certainly bold in its approach. However, good intentions aren't enough to create a successful movie, and this one doesn’t quite work as either a drama or a musical. When considered as a straight drama, the film has problems on several …

It's striking to see Björk featured so prominently in this critique of capital punishment, presented through very intimate camera work. The movie feels otherworldly, even though it doesn’t contain music.