Der Mann aus Mallorca

I got tricked into watching Mannen från Mallorca (or The Man From Majorca for the English title) by reading the extremely positive reviews for this movie, going from "Close to perfection" to "A mindboggling crime story" or even "Best swedish movie ever!!". Best Swedish movie ever, that's from reviewer johannes-62391, that watched this movie 20 to 25 times, yes I know it's laughable as who on earth would watch a movie that many times? Needless to tell you that this reviewer only has two reviews, and is probably Swedish. You get what I mean... I wished IMDb would do something about these kind of reviews. That said this movie is just okay, was probably better when it came out but it didn't age very well. The acting is okay, the story on the other hand is a bit confusing, a bit boring, lacking action. In short I wouldn't waste your time with this one.

Right at the start there is a really good robbery of a Post Office just being done by one man. Outside two cops are at a car park and having their eyes on a brothel but then there is a call at the Post Office and becomes a thrilling chase. It turns out there is nothing much to do with our story and it is can be much more confusing. In the car later on the cops of course are talking about food and they suggest that they might not have McDonald's but the Swedish snacks don't look too good. When they mention Travolta this was not they were talking about Tarantino this is about ten years earlier and his first famous films and his dancing. Here we are in Stockholm, it is not too pretty, but wet, cold and gritty, clearly not their best times. This is a new Radiance film and one another's of Bo Widerberg, Man on the Roof (1976) which I thought was better.

Director Widerberg could do very well in widely separate genres. He did a few crime stories on cinema, but never just for the 'who dunnit'. There had to be a burning social message, something rotting in the kingdom.

Here it sure is. The Leif GW Persson novel, on which the film is based, is about misuse of power, all the way up. The novel is actually loosely based on a political scandal in Sweden, which Persson was involved in revealing.

Widerberg's movie has got several qualities, way beyond that of creating a thrill. With a very firm grip, of the kind only somebody that skilled as a director can have, he tightens the suspense, intensifies the conflict, broadens the importance of what takes place, until the film becomes an unpleasant, but in its own way accurate, revelation about modern society. And it's a good thrill, too.

A trivia of interest to none but me, I guess, is that one of the locations is my apartment at that time.

This is one of the best films I've ever seen. The actors are the Sweden's most terrific actors of the time. The plot is excellent and Bo Widerberg's direction is as crisp as ever.

The most amazing with this film is that you keep finding something new in it, something you haven't noticed before. The plot is so complicated that it will take you a couple of viewings to understand everything. But, it's well worth it.

It's a film that really sticks to your mind, it leaves nobody unmoved. So go rent it today, I'll promise that you won't be disappointed.

Surprising, far from Hollywood clichés and expected, predictable lines, this Scandinavian - Sweden - crime thriller is so exciting, as was COP ON THE ROOF, from the very same director, a brilliant, sophisticated film maker, who did not make only crime films though. Such a shame. You are always surprised here, nothing foreseeable, and maybe that contributes to make it a bit complex to follow for "southern" or "western" audiences. The only thing maybe borrowed from Hollywood is the cop in tandem crew, some kind of buddy movie, but without being LETHAL WEAPON either. Not an action genuine crime flick but with action scenes however. I highly recommend it.