If you have ever fired or even held a handgun, you will
immediately understand the seductive and irresistible
sense of empowerment felt by the protagonists that
populate DEAR WENDY, the new film from Thomas
Vinterberg (“The Celebration”). If you have managed to
avoid firearms, take heed: Vinterberg himself has said,
“Since I began work on DEAR WENDY I have found myself
facing a series of disturbing thoughts and emotions
regarding the love of weapons.” Though perhaps
inspired by how our American gun culture must look to
outsiders, in Vinterberg’s hands DEAR WENDY is much
more complicated, and much more intriguing, than mere polemic.

DEAR WENDY stars Jamie Bell (who will at year’s end be seen in Peter Jackson’s upcoming remake of “King Kong”) as a young loner named Dick who discovers a vintage handgun and finds himself strangely drawn to it despite his pacifist views. Soon he forms a secret club with other misfits in his town who collect and revere antique guns and call themselves “The Dandies.” But despite their firm belief in the most important Dandy rule of all – “never draw your weapons” – they eventually discover that some rules are meant to be broken.

Based on a screenplay by Lars Von Trier and featuring a soundtrack of songs by the ‘60s band The Zombies, DEAR WENDY is a potentially controversial addition to the alientated youth genre. The film, which also stars Bill Pullman, Michael Angarano (“Lords of Dogtown”), Mark Webber (“Broken Flowers”) and Chris Owen (“American Pie”), was an official selection of the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.