Film: Jackpot
Director: Magnus Martens
Country: Norway
Jackpot is not the place to go for a cerebral or artistically groundbreaking film about criminality. But it is bloody
(very bloody) good fun.
With its twisted plot
and black humour, it has plenty of antecedents and is probably not
trying to be too original or mouldbreaking. However, the wonderfully
over the top plot is great fun and will just have your jaw drop before
you burst out giggling. And it is certainly very different to the
grittier brand of Nordic noir that I have been enjoying on my telly
recently. The outrageously funny detective is most definitely not Sarah
Lund.
By having the plot shaped around one of
the participant's interview with a detective, the film is, either
deliberately or not, going to get compared to The Usual Suspects. It
doesn't stand up to that comparison, as it is not nearly as cleverly or
tautly scripted.
Henrik Mestad is the stand out
performance as the detective - comic timing and dry sarcasm doesn't
always come through when you're reading the subtitles (and beating the
spoken dialogue to the punchline) but he really delivers on it. Kyrre
Hellum is also really effective as one of the most put upon inadvertent
criminals you will come accross.
In the end Jackpot is wrapped up in a pacy, absurd, caper with the blackest wit and
all done in the best worst possible taste. If comedy crime dramas are
your thing, and the bloodier the action and the more immoral characters
the better a film is to you, you'll love it.
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