De bør forelske Dem: A quiet retreat or just a snooze?

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, De bør forelske Dem is one of those movies you watch on a rainy Sunday when you’ve already folded all your laundry and have zero motivation to move. If you’re into classic, low-stakes romantic comedies from the mid-30s, you’ll probably find it charming enough. If you need something with a plot that actually goes somewhere, or if you get bored by people sitting around in nice clothes looking polite, you’re going to hate it. It’s not exactly The Little Church Around the Corner in terms of intensity, that's for sure.

George is the typical guy who has way too much money and way too much stress. We’ve seen this guy a million times, but he’s played with just enough self-seriousness to make you roll your eyes at the start. When he decides he needs to be anonymous, he ends up at Eva's estate. It’s all very fancy and very Danish. The whole premise is basically: what if rich people played hide and seek for an hour and a half?

There’s this one scene where a guest walks in and the way they hold their teacup is just... incredibly stiff. You can almost hear the director whispering from behind the camera, "Be more elegant!" It’s funny if you look for it. The film has this oddly empty feeling, like the house is just a set and no one actually lives there. It’s weirdly sterile.

It reminds me a bit of the vibe in Have a Heart, where the emotional stakes are played for keeps but the setting feels like a stage play. Everything is a little too perfect. You don't see a single stray piece of paper on the floor. It’s almost like the characters are afraid to move too fast, just in case they break the scenery.

The dialogue is very polite. Like, aggressively polite. Everyone says exactly what they mean in the most roundabout way possible. It takes forever for anyone to actually fall in love, which I guess is the point, but come on. Get on with it!

I noticed a guy in the background of one dinner scene who literally just stares at a plate for like thirty seconds without blinking. It’s hypnotic. I don't know if he was nervous or just really, really hungry, but I couldn't stop looking at him. Maybe he was the best actor in the whole scene.

It’s an okay watch. Just don't go in expecting a life-changing experience. It’s just a nice, simple, slightly dusty trip to a country estate. And sometimes, that’s plenty.

• George's bank book must be heavy.
• The estate looks like it would cost a fortune to heat.
• Everyone is remarkably good at being "anonymous" while wearing very distinct outfits.
• The pacing is basically a brisk walk.