The film stars Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, and Ulrich Thomsen in a story which takes place in small-town Denmark and a refugee camp in Africa.

[4] Anton (Mikael Persbrandt) is a Swedish doctor who commutes between his home in Denmark and his work in a Sudanese refugee camp.

Christian (William Jøhnk Juels Nielsen), who has just moved from London with his father, Claus (Ulrich Thomsen), is a new boy at Elias' school.

In Denmark, Christian and Elias decide to make a bomb to destroy the mechanic's car, on a Sunday morning so that no passers-by might be hurt.

With the fuse already burning, they see two joggers approaching (a mother and her young daughter), and Elias leaves his protected position to warn them.

The idea for the film originated when Bier and screenwriter Anders Thomas Jensen had discussions about the perception of Denmark as a very harmonious society.

[5] The development of the narrative started with the character that would be played by Mikael Persbrandt, and the idea of an idealist who becomes the victim of an assault.

[8] Director Susanne Bier said: "Our experiment in this film is about looking at how little it really takes before a child – or an adult – thinks something is deeply unjust.

Skotte also praised the acting performances: "Mighty Mikael Persbrandt shows that he is Scandinavia's most charismatic actor right now.

With her successful directing of the two boys Markus Rygaard and William Jøhnk Nielsen, Bier adds a new chapter to her already extensive resumé of top tuned skills.

"[11] Peter Nielsen of Dagbladet Information called In a Better World "in all ways a successful film", and although there "is no doubt that Susanne Bier can tell a good story", he was not entirely convinced: "She can seduce, and she can push the completely correct emotional buttons, so that mothers' as well as fathers' hearts are struck, but she doesn't earnestly drill her probe into the meat.