Directed by:
Morten TyldumCinematography:
John Andreas AndersenCast:
Aksel Hennie, Synnøve Macody Lund, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Eivind Sander, Julie R. Ølgaard, Kyrre Haugen Sydness, Valentina Alexeeva, Reidar Sørensen (more)VOD (1)
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Intense and entertaining thriller packed with twists and based on award winning mystery writer Jo Nesbo's novel, Headhunters' stars Aksel Hennie (Max Manus) as an elite headhunter who finances his lavish lifestyle by stealing art from his own clients. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (12)
When you’re only five and a half feet tall, you have to somehow compensate. Roger Brown is a small man who wants to live large and with a tall blonde. While he has to look up to his wife, his mistress looks up to him, but that’s not enough to bolster his ego or, mainly, to build up his bank account. So he makes money on the side. Perfect crimes that leave him unscathed and during the commission of which he leaves no trace of evidence at the crime scenes. Nevertheless, to defend his dubious position as a MAN, he will have no choice but to bathe in the shit (and blood) that he has managed to avoid so far. To walk through the wilderness, throw off the mask of civilisation and undergo the transformation from hunted to hunter. The core of Headhunters is a psychological drama about the crisis of male identity, but that core was rolled up in a thriller and sprinkled with black comedy, with the added bonus that it’s never clear in advance whether the next scene will raise a smile or turn your stomach. The film’s unpredictability (in its handling of genre conventions and the protagonist) is nicely complemented by its uncompromising nature (well, the excessive violence is…simply just excessive) and exaggeration, which, however, is not acknowledged as conspicuously as some situations would require. Sometimes what you expect to happen is funnier than what actually happens. At any rate, there isn’t much time to think about it, thanks to the momentum that Tyldum imparted to the film, during which we don’t lose track of the changes not only on Roger's body, but also inside his head. It’s possible that Nordic genre cinema really is that much better than what Hollywood produces in terms of quality. Appendix: Aksel Hennie is reminiscent of Buscemi and the film itself is reminiscent of Fargo and other movies by the Joel and Ethan Coen (that is, if you wanted to categorise it, but that’s not really possible in this case). 75%
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I finally understand why Jo Nesbo is considered a master in the field of crime literature. Based on such great source material, the screenplay is well-written and the film is well-directed. However, it must be noted that neither the screenwriters nor the director made any serious mistakes. For about three-quarters of the way, I was convinced that I was watching a 100% five-star film. Typical Scandinavian madness, pitch-black humor, crazy situations, absurdity - even if I didn't know the country of origin, I would immediately guess it's from one of the Nordic countries. But then comes the last quarter, delimited by Roger's encounter with his wife, playing on strong emotions, and the previous atmosphere starts to crumble a bit. When the finale arrived, I thought to myself that the screenwriter had indeed made two logical somersaults. Although the first one was saved by the final credits, the second one - how can a man in the main character's situation believe a woman and bet everything on one card? That really doesn't make sense to me. Nevertheless, Headhunters cannot be denied its originality, pervasive tension, captivating characters, and impressive ending. Despite some minor reservations, I lean toward a 5-star rating. There aren't many films like this, where it is a joy to follow the development of the plot and not be deceived by screenwriting shortcomings. Overall impression: 90%. Although I'm not a moralist, I definitely wouldn't let a 12-year-old child watch this film. After all, it is a quite bloody mess, not commonly seen in today's cinema.
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After watching it, I’m somewhere between three and four stars. Sure, the unique Nordic style is undeniable, and I enjoyed how the film’s darkly comedic tone felt like it could have been handled by the Coen brothers (I haven’t read Nesbø's book). The acting was absolutely top-notch; the lead duo, Aksel Hennie and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, fully embraced their roles, and I can’t find any faults there. As for the plot, the creators had it meticulously planned out until about halfway through, with everything on screen not being predictable but rather revealing the cards of both sides flawlessly. However, the final third felt a bit over the top. As many reviewers mention, there were a lot of coincidences, and it seemed like the writers were paving the way to the final catharsis... which was good, though. So, it’s a well-made film, but it’s missing that final edge to reach the very top. I give it a solid 7.5/10.
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It’s been long since two dead fat people were so funny… A perfect Nordic thriller, and, against expectations, it’s not serious or depressing, but a brisk and entertaining film that knows how to make you feel tension, surprise and fun. PS: Plus points for giving a certain animal species the end it deserved (#cantavoidphobia).
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The difference between what I expected and what I got is too huge. Headhunters is a sort of brutal Nordic pulp, properly cold, chilling, and balanced with a reasonable amount of irony and detachment. The chilling moments don't quite measure up to the best of Fincher, the screenwriting twist where "it all goes pear-shaped" is a worthy match for the Coens, and the proper butchery makes one think of earlier equally proper old-school American pieces. With all the charming melancholy of Scandinavia and a not entirely predictable conclusion, Headhunters can comfortably endeavor for foreign film status for 2011. I would sincerely wish them that, although I "honestly" doubt they’ll even get a nomination. I'd love to be wrong, because the inventiveness in this is truly immense.
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