One global region that has really gained traction and popularity in the film and television industry recently is Scandinavia. With the huge success of Stieg Larsson’s novels that became the highly popular Millenium film trilogy (Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), we have seen these northern European countries develop complex and entertaining stories that usually fall within the noirish crime genre. Television such as Forbrydelsen (The American TV show The Killing is based on this), Wallander, The Bridge, and Borgen (Stephen King’s favourite show of 2012) have not only found their niche in North America, but have also influenced the television and film industry in North America and Britain as well. One such movie that fits within this genre is Jo Nesbø’s Headhunters (the highest grossing Norwegian film of all-time).
In this 2011 film that is based on a novel by Jo Nesbø, screenwriters Ulf Ryberg and Lars Gudmestad as well as director MortenTyldum create an excellent, high octane crime thriller. The story follows Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie), a headhunter for the corporate world who is an art thief on the side. He does this in order to sustain his expensive lifestyle in the hopes that the money and gifts will keep his very attractive art dealer wife Diana (Synnøve Macody Lund) happy, while also covering up his own insecurities.
With the help of his friend Ove (Eivind Sander) who works for an alarm company, he is able to easily recover the rare artwork, replace it with a forgery, and put it through the proper channels to make his money; that is, until the supposed deal of a lifetime comes along.
Roger is introduced to Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – Jamie Lannister from Game of Thrones), a former mercenary and executive who works for a competing company. He has just inherited a condo from a dead relative that contains a rare Rubens’ painting. It is the haul Roger has been waiting for and things go off without a hitch, until he finds his wife’s phone in the man’s apartment.
It is from this point on that paranoia sets in. It does not help that when Roger makes his way to his car the next morning, he finds Ove, who appears to be dead in the front seat. Things quickly swirl out of control as Clas, the former mercenary, begins to track him in what amounts to a game of human headhunting.
Headhunter is a complex piece of cinema. There are many threads to follow that are woven together throughout the film to keep us guessing until the final moments of the picture. Is Roger’s wife cheating on him? Is she in on the plot? What does Roger’s work have to do with the story? These are just a few of the questions that will be answered. What I can say is that this is one of the best twisting storylines that has been written since the 90’s.
The acting in this film is superb. Aksel Hennie is perfect as the bugged-eyed short man (who looks like a cross between Christopher Walken and Steve Buscemi) who is put through the ringer. He is a superb anti-hero (a robber, who also cheats on his wife), yet we cannot help but root for him as the film goes on. He is very unlikable at the beginning, but softens and evolves as he is put into life-threatening situations time and time again. Coster-Waldau once again shows that he is a brilliant villain, able to exude a cocky and confident air while maintaining a lethal yet simmering danger just below the surface. Eivind Sander is impressively bizarre as Roger’s friend and accomplice, and Lund is strong as Roger’s beautiful wife who manages to keep us guessing.
Headhunter is a thriller done right; from its well constructed set-pieces and stunning cinematography, to its excellent acting and supreme script. So, get the bug and join in on the Scandinavian craze – it’s well worth the road-trip.
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