by Mark Deming
synopsis
The emotional ups and downs of the habitués of a Copenhagen watering hole form the basis of this Danish drama. The Blue Monk is a bar favored by jazz fans, where classic sides by Thelonious Monk dominate the jukebox and the regulars use the waitresses and bartenders as sounding boards for their emotional problems. One of the customers develops a crush on his favorite waitress; however, she's become involved with someone else, and she soon discovers her customer isn't as harmless as she thought. This mood piece, dominated by a classic jazz soundtrack, was shown at the 1999 Gothenburg Film Festival.
