‘Men and Chicken’ Trailer: Mads Mikkelsen Gets Wacky

Thanks to Hannibal, American audiences have become more familiar with Mads Mikkelsen, the fiercely talented Danish actor who plays the titular role of the series’ sophisticated cannibal. But Mikkelsen has long enjoyed a fascinating career with great roles in dramas (A Royal Affair), action films (Casino Royale), thrillers (The Hunt) and dark, gritty fare (Valhalla Rising). As you can see in the trailer for Men and Chicken, his latest film is about as far removed from all of the above as you can get.

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has released the first trailer for Men and Chicken ahead of the Danish comedy’s premiere at the fest next month. The film, directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, centers on two half-brothers (Mikkelsen and David Dencik) who find one another and embark on a journey to meet their biological father, who resides in a sanitarium. There, they meet other half-brothers who are all similarly odd, and together they begin to face the truth about themselves.

Here’s the official synopsis from TIFF:

Men & Chicken revolves around two special-natured brothers, Elias and Gabriel (Mads Mikkelsen and David Dencik). Upon their father’s passing, they find out through their father’s will that they are adopted. Elias and Gabriel decide to seek out their natural father and set out for the island Ork, where their biological father lives. Here they discover a most paralyzing, yet liberating truth about themselves and their family.

As you can see in the trailer, Men and Chicken looks very absurd, though labeling it as “quirky” seems like a cheap understatement. It’s definitely eccentric and the tone is far, far, far from conventional.

No formal release date has been set, though early next year seems like a safe bet.

Filed Under: Mads Mikkelsen