Alle Sünden

I became quite hooked on the first series although I am not sure why. The characters were interesting and very three dimensional which is rare. The crime element was very much a sub plot. The gist of the series is about two very different cops coming to a brutal realisation of who they are and where they come from. The one thing it lacks, however, is any suspense whatsoever. Not a huge problem, but noticeable. However, season 2 for me is the whole package. I am only on episode 3 but felt compelled to write this review. The acting is fabulous. Matti Ristinen especially steals the show. There is palpable tension in every episode as the righteous but traumatise cop deals with a new world order on one side and suffocating, corrupt religious zealots on the other. Love it.

/refers to Season 1/

Although the Finns entered the Nordic thriller field later than the Danes and Swedes, some 5 years or so have shown talented approaches with several catchy series. And Kaikki synnit is another pleasant example, with distinct characters, beautiful nature, closed community issues and internal/external solitude have been skilfully combined. One can ponder on and over different modern perspectives and backgrounds - even in a remote area like Oulu´s vicinity.

And the performances are great, both leading and supporting, with relatively new faces I have not noticed in other similar series (particular wow! to Tuula Väänänen as Lauri´s mother Maarit).

"Only" 8 points from me as I liked Sorjonen a bit more. But still - worth watching and recommended. Next seasons will apparently follow.

PS Season 2 is a more intensive spin-off when some events unclear in Season 1 got explained. The performances are not so strong and the share of humour is less.

One doesn't need to be a fan of Nordic Noir (I'm not) or even mysteries to enjoy this six-episode series by internationally acclaimed documentary filmmaker Mika Ronkainen of Finland. Set during the light summer in the land of the midnight sun, murders of three middle aged men in the fictional town of Varjakka perplex a close-knit, conservative religious community. Sanna and Lauri, two private investigators with their own personal struggles and and past traumas, are called up from Helsinki to investigate. You won't see much blood or shocking violence or gore, but deeply a evoking and steadily arching plot that will keep you captivated until the surprising climax.

This is a little gem of a series. The performances are truly top-notch and I found myself tearing up near the end, which I rarely do. The lead actor and actress are incredibly solid and vulnerable. The screenwriting and plotting was solid. The filmography and landscapes are beautiful and you can really feel that you're watching Ostrobothnia--could the landscape be more flat?

The theme of the series really is about the trauma of religion. I have rarely seen a movie/TV-series tackle the subject with such vulnerability and from so many points of view. It's interwoven with grief, internalized homophobia and domestic violence. The storytelling comes across with very little melodrama, except for the culmination at the end. That's one of the reasons I didn't rate this a total 10/10. But the ending was well done and believable to me, so it isn't a huge complaint, and perhaps the culmination needs some extra drama, so it may be just a personal thing. Some characters, like the business man, were also too stereotypically depicted to my liking. But again, that is a small complaint in the big picture.

Bonus points for Lauri's mother's performance. It still brings me goosebumps when I think back on it. Such raw grief and guilt really makes you feel for her even with everything you know about her. But it's the humanity coming across in the series. I also thought it was very well done to have Lauri slowly start to speak more and more in his childhood dialect as the series went on. This is something foreigners won't catch, but it was a very satisfying detail for them to include, as that's what happens when one goes back.

I have ties to Laestadianism and what is portrayed does ring true to me. But I'm sure only someone who has left the religion can truly say anything about this depiction of it.

Can't wait for Season Two. Once I started watching series, couldn't stop. Well cast, acted, interesting plot twist, of essentially a "closed" community with its own particular dogma that all must adhere too, almost incestuous in tone. Dealt with sensitive issues both of community and two investigators struggling with their own karma. A must watch.