isla s
As far as frantic action/crime/thrillers go, this is a reasonably good one. There's plenty to watch, violence, fighting, gun shoot outs and the like. Its not exactly entirely original but its pretty good I suppose.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
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Audience Member
It's a very competent crime story, but with a brutal message by its end.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
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Audience Member
1 ud af 5 baner coke. Det er meget svært at se, hvad der er meningen med denne samling grågrumsede lavbudget-socialrealisme-klicheer ud over at fortælle en spændende historie, men det er sådan set også okay. Desværre blev der ikke råd til en slutning.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
01/20/23
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Audience Member
In short: Well told story about street violence, youth crime and its impact on family relationships. Enough developments to keep us interested for 95 minutes
I saw this movie at the Rotterdam film festival 2013 (IFFR), where it was part of the Bright Future section. It is a story around 18 year old Caspar, who starts modestly as a burglar stealing valuables or electronic equipment on demand. He has a fixed "contract" with Jamal, who buys the loot from him. However, Caspar has plans to scale up, and gradually comes to terms with tough guy Björn. He gets accepted in those circles, and assigned more and more responsible tasks. All is going well and according to plan, until the moment that Jamal decides to have his revenge. This gets out of hand very soon, and you hardly can expect a smooth escape out of this situation, and thus assume a not so very happy end.
The film is named after Northwest, a suburb district of Copenhagen (Denmark). Not only because of a strong reputation of youth crime, this area was also chosen for a simple practical reason: it was open enough to let the film makers in and to cooperate with them. Much knowledge about the neighborhood was acquired by asking around and talking with locals living there. The director made documentaries before, and this was the usual method of operations for him. Moreover, they really tried to blend in while shooting, by living in the apartment (together with mom and kids) that was used in the film as decor.
The information in the previous paragraph was gathered from a final Q&A with the film makers, a considerable subset of them present with the screening. It was the 2nd screening ever, on the day immediately following the world premiere in Sweden. Some of the crew were still recuperating from a hangover, but answered as best as possible on questions from moderator and audience. From the Q&A we also learned that none of the actors is educated as such, but most of them played before in movies or TV series. The way this director makes movies is working without a detailed script, leaving much improvised. The scene and setting is rehearsed before the shooting, but what actually happens after the camera switches on, is merely ad-hoc and left to the actors.
All in all, an interesting plot, giving some insight in how the criminal mind works, and opening lots of opportunities for even so interesting developments. Maybe also a bit about second generation immigrant Jamal versus native Björn, and upholding respect from their respective gangs?? Apart from portraying street violence and youth gangs, the story is also about the impact that this dangerous way of living can have on family relationships. It is really a "way of living" to survive in such circumstances, and not always easy to keep your family out of it, be it to repair the damages when you come home wounded, or when people are waiting for you outside to collect money or have an argument. And it gets easily from bad to ugly by throwing things through the window, or even threatening to set the house on fire.
The festival visitors gave an average score of 4.268 (out of 5), thereby ranking it 21st (out of 178) for the audience award. As far as I'm concerned, this film maker shows indeed a Bright Future, deservedly put in the festival section with that name.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/27/23
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Audience Member
Engaging, tense thrill ride. It has a realistic feel. Nothing break through in terms of story line.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/27/23
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Audience Member
Starring real life brothers and non-actors Gustav and Oscar Dyekjaer Giese, Michael Noer's gritty thriller is struck through with an authenticity and danger that has clearly been cultivated straight from its setting in the estates of Copenhagen's deprived North West. For all this realism, however, its tale of a young man seduced by a life of crime and facing the moral dilemma of his kid brother's downfall is so overfamiliar that much of its impact fails to register.
Inhabiting the same city and featuring recognisable grotty underworld pond scum from Nicolas Winding Refn's Pusher series, Northwest feels more formulaic and tame in comparison. Casper - the elder brother - hulks around with his sunken eyes, shaved head and Adidas tracksuit, barely scraping a living as a burglar for hire, all the while living a dual existence with his loving mother and younger siblings. Seduced by the girls, drugs and folding money of Bjørn (Roland Møller) Casper knows it's time for him to step up and claim a real place in the underworld - but sparking trouble with his previous employer Jamal (Dulfi Al-Jabouri) and seeing his sweet natured little brother follow in his footsteps he immediately begins to question whether this is the life he is cut out for.
Partially due to the casting of the Dyekjaer Gieses, who both weigh in with solid turns but lack emotional range and sheer screen presence, Northwest is seldom lifted above run-of-the-mill gangland fare. Some of this slack is picked up by the gloriously burly Møller as the bearded heavy who oozes the required imposing masculinity and tangible menace. Him aside, there are lots of two-dimensional thugs and plenty of muscular posturing but little in the way of actual weight. It looks the part in its smoky bars and gloomy colours, but without the characterisation this is all just window dressing.
The consequences of Casper's blind greed don't register for an age; Northwest prefers to bob and weave away from big moments. Instead, time is spent kicking around in the filth of the setting, pulling focus on Casper's permanently brooding face and furrowed brow. Even when fights and shootings do materialise this is usually off screen. Despite this elongated focus on Casper, Noer is never really able to get a sense of the young man or his motivations, beyond the most basic moral quagmire.
Flawed and lacking an original spark, Northwest is still a solid enough delve into the criminal underworld and makes up for many of its failings with a grim realist aura and fiercely taut final third. After much agonising and threat, when the clock begins to tick for Casper and he is forced into making decisions the film kicks into life - demonstrating its true potential as a thriller. Unfortunately most of its ambitions as an in depth character piece go wanting.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
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