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Scandinavian detective films is a sign of international quality, especially for those who think that stories can be catchy without constant chases-shootings and without a thin line between law machinery and criminals. Kvinden i buret is a nice and solid example such films, plus talented character actors in leading roles - a Dane Nikolaj Lie Kaas and an Assyrian from Sweden Fares Fares (by the way, speaking tolerable Danish). Multidimensional plot provides additional tensions and you start to ponder who and why, the outcome is logical, although the wrongdoer's person and motives were revealed a bit too early. The film includes several clichés as well (for example, injudicious boss vs. solitary pigheaded detective, bickers between partners), but they are not annoying, enabling to unfold the characters and justify certain deeds.

All in all, a nice film, and first in the line of films (to be) made on the basis of Jussi Adler-Olsen's novels. I am looking forward to see them all.

Kvinden i buret has got the English, and much better title, The Keeper of Lost Causes, in stead of what should have been The caged woman. The Danish title is maybe the worst about this film, but still that's due to the Novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen, which have had a good portion of success with the crime novels about detective Carl. The international title I find as very suitable, and promises more to come!

Carl (played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas) is a cop which after a mistake thrown off his normal job as detective, after nearly being shot. His wife has dumped him, his best friend and fellow detective is dead and his ex-partner crippled, both in the same case which nearly cost him life. He is put at a desk to close open old cases. But he has other plans. I'll leave the case here, but the film is so well made, and the actors play so well in a well crafted script by Nicolaj Arcel, which really is an amazing writer, that this is well worth a watch.

The film manages to be interesting all the way through, and even gives us as viewers some really hard scenes to watch, as well as giving some kins of flashbacks which is really fresh. The casting is also very good when it comes to these time flashbacks, which show real quality.

This is the start of a franchise of Adler-Olsen filmed novels, and I hope the next will be just as good. Nicolaj Lie-Kaas has said yes to three more. Surprisingly also well known Swedish comedy film maker Fares Fares function as his sidekick, though his Danish is quite bad. But it works, due to his credibility, and that he is a foreign breaking on Danish.

Check it out.

The latest in a long (endless?) line of fine Scandinavian police thrillers, The Keeper of Lost Causes (Kvinden I buret to give it its Danish title) is a taut, thrilling cop drama that compels and seizes the interest for the duration of its 97 minute running time.

In the aftermath of an ill-fated mission that leaves one colleague dead and another seriously injured, police inspector Carl Mørck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) is bumped from his department and tasked with setting up Department Q, a dead-end desk job that requires him to spend the next few years ensconced in a dusty basement with a new partner, Assad (Fares Fares), tying up the loose ends on old cases. Instructed to close three cases per week, Mørck and Assad begin with the investigation of a politician, Merete Lynggaard (Sonja Richter) who disappeared five years previously. Written off as a suicide, Mørck is determined to prove there is more to the case and delves into a murky case of abuse, murder and kidnapping.

With both Kaas and Richter alumni of the original series of The Killing, and Fares a star of both Easy Money and Zero Dark Thirty, the central trio makes for a very solid human triptych, even if displayed as separate components (he wrote carefully, determined not to lead or hint or give anything away). The relationship between Mørck and Assad, particularly, is a sufficient variation of the 'cop buddies' partnership to make it feel new. Both policemen have their foibles, their differences and their similarities; Mørck is out of favour, Assad has been trusted with something vaguely resembling a promotion, Mørck is silent and brooding, Assad celebrates his new found 'freedom' with ear-bleeding music, Mørck is a battering ram, Assad invests time to achieve his results…

As an aside, The Keeper of Lost Causes succeeds magnificently in portraying a Muslim character in a positive light in a film that isn't about that issue. Assad could be anyone; he just happens to be a Muslim.

Though The Keeper of Lost Causes will invariably be compared to The Killing, it is closer in tone to the thoughtfulness of Wallander and the cynicism of French series Spiral and is spiced with the dark violence of Larsson's Millennium trilogy. There is humour within the gloomy folds of this thriller but it is cold and cynical as befits a yarn of kidnap and murder.

I saw much of the outcome in the first fifteen minutes of The Keeper of Lost Causes but it was a still an electrifying journey that has a great deal to celebrate, not least of all a sublime accident sequence. Think 'ballet with cars' and you're getting close.

Like all good thrillers, The Keeper of Lost Causes works on the terror factor that it could happen. We don't tend to believe in zombies and vampires, although I'm up for a short-term zombocalypse armed with a crossbow and a katana, but humans with a vindictive streak and a penchant for malevolent revenge? Yep, they're far too real to ignore.

The Keeper of Lost Causes is a rare treat for another reason: it clearly sets itself up for a sequel and director Mikkel Nørgaard has duly obliged with the second adaptation of author Juss Adler-Olsen's novels, The Absent One (Fasandræberne), released in Denmark this autumn.

Roll on the end of the summer!

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Caught the Danish premiere yesterday with a friend - going in without much in the way of expectations.

I'm still in the process of reading the book, which I think is a fine crime/thriller/drama - but not much more than that. Not sure what all the fuss is about - but maybe the latter half of the book will make that clear.

Inevitably, there are significant changes from the source - most notably the protagonist Carl Mørck being significantly younger in the film. But Nikolaj Lie Kaas does a fine job portraying the jaded and highly sarcastic cop despite his age, and he's a reasonable fit for the part.

Fares Fares plays Assad, the upbeat immigrant counterpart to Mørck - and he's the standout in the film, if you ask me. He's a pitch-perfect match for the character in the book, and he manages to give the part warmth, machismo and endearing humor all in one package. Pretty much exactly as I imagined him - and that includes his physical appearance.

The character of Merete Lynggaard is played by Sonja Richter - and I'm not sure what to think of her portrayal. It's for certain that she's done a great job with her physical appearance - which changes during the film, to a degree not unlike the well-known extremes like DeNiro in Raging Bull or Christian Bale in The Machinist. Not quite that extreme, but probably the most significant physical change I've seen in Danish acting. That's commendable, of course, but I honestly don't think she's a good fit for Merete as described in the book. It's mentioned several times that she's almost divine and irresistible in her beauty and charm.

I imagined her as having much more presence than Sonja, I have to say. Overall, I'll give her a pass because of the work she put into her body for the film - but I would have chosen someone else for the part.

As for the film itself - it obviously skips a lot of detail, but that's to be expected. I did miss some of the interplay between Mørck and his boss (played by Søren Pilmark) and they didn't do justice to his relationship with Hardy, his crippled-by-gunshot best friend (Troels Lyby).

But beyond those omissions, I found the experience very engaging and quite faithful to the book. The atmosphere is very strong - with great photography and lighting. It has a very suitable Noir feel throughout - and I particularly liked the music, which did a great job of setting the dark tone.

The locations are strong - and I must admit that the police station and its "Afdeling Q" basement looked more or less just like they did in my mind when reading.

The buddy cop partnership of Mørck and Assad is spot on - and has a great combination of humor and subtle mutual respect. The banter between these two guys is definitely the high-point of the film.

I'm not going to spoil anything - so it will suffice to say that the ending is good and extremely tense.

Essentially, it's a great adaption - and I don't think they could have done much better, given the nature of film and the limited run-time.

It probably bears repeating that I'm not a major fan of the book (based on the first half) - and as such, I might not be invested enough to notice all the flaws. So, take that into account when reading this review.

I hope I've been helpful ;)

I saw this on a rented DVD in 2014. Felt like writing a review before i watch two of its sequels. The plot - After a raid gone wrong that resulted in the death of one of his team and the paralysis of another, a homicide cop Nikolaj Lie Kaas has been kicked to the basement aka Department Q to tie off five years of unresolved cases along with an inexperienced assistant called Faras Faras. They wind up pursuing the case of a high-ranking female politician, a supposed suicide whose body was never found. In short this is Scandinavian Noir. The acting of the two leading detectives is assured and the cinematography is compelling. It is a perfectly adequate crime thriller that will appeal to fans of this genre. The Keeper of Lost Causes is genuinely gripping, even though the direction is fairly standard and the main plot elements are predictable. Fans of The Treatment, Marshland, Memories of murder, Headhunters, Insomnia, True Detectives - S1 will definitely enjoy this.

I think it's fair to say that THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES is Denmark's answer to THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO; it has much in common with the look, style, and feel of the Steig Larsson adaptation, although the narrative is more simplistic and straightforward as befits a shorter film. Once again the story is a mix of crime grittiness, nasty unpleasantness, historical events impacting on the present, and some dogged detectives refusing to give up on a cold case.

The methods of the killer in this film are quite terrifying from a psychological perspective, adding a sheen of unique horror to the movie which comes as an unexpected surprise. Although the subject matter is depressing the film is never so, because the production values are excellent and the cinematography particularly strong. The main characters aren't particularly likable, they're too gruff for that, but they are realistic, which is what counts. Although I'm not a huge fan of Scandinavian crime stories, even I enjoyed this well-paced and engrossing tale.

If you like a cop thriller as much as I do, you are in the right place. I haven't read the book this is based on, but obviously and judging from what I saw in the movie, it must be good. There are more books (and it is obvious from the movie/story), so you might be getting even more from this (at least one other output is coming).

The acting is really good (even if it feels a bit moody and broody at times) and the story is even better. There are more things here to judge than just some bad guys, with even the cop having his flaws (transparent from the beginning). We also get nice touches (the coffee thing) to elevate the watching experience. An all around good take on a criminal story

If your a fan of Nordic noir like me then there is enough here in Department Q to keep you entertained for 90 minutes. Whilst I did find the plot far fetched and totally implausible. The fast paced script quality acting, and the usual dark moody cinematography the Danes do so well, made this an enjoyable watch and look forward to further installments.

Slow moving detective movie but I like it like that.No excessive reading of words in another language because the film speaks for itself. The director has created a very entertaining atmosphere. You develop a feel for the investigation. The editing is tight. Nothing is wasted. The homicide detective gets demoted to cold case files. He picks up one that speaks to him. A suicide that after digging does not come close to a suicide and no body. Going deeper in, nothing is easy or as it seems. As you move along the story unfolds in tidbits and gets darker and darker. Man sinks about as low as a human twisted can go. I don't want to give away any of the ending but with lackluster uncommon in Hollywood style movie making it's riveting. I enjoyed this gem immensely.

Suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the movie. I read the book a couple of years ago and as far as I can recall it, this movie does a good job in retelling the story.

There really isn't a lot for me to add to what others have commented so far, at least the ones who DID like the movie...

As others have mentioned, the plot and overall story are fairly simple, but at the same time the way it is put together and the way the 2 policemen proceed through the case do indeed draw you into the film and skilfully ratchet up the suspense and tension as the story unfolds. The movie itself is well made and the acting by the two principles works well along with the tone of the film. There ARE other movies like this that I happen to like better, primarily because they were perhaps a bit more stylish and the stories were more complex and intriguing. The movies similar to this that I liked better happened to be foreign films (to me) Both are French. One is the very intriguing 'CRIMSON RIVERS' which has two cops investigating some unusual circumstances involving strange happenings and deaths surrounding a prestigious school. The other is the VERY stylish and slightly Science Fiction flavoured 'CHRYSALIS' which is a very sharp looking film that has some nice twists and turns involving memory and identity. This movie here isn't as stylish and is pretty straight-forward in the sense that they are trying to figure out what really happened to a woman in a five year old suicide case. BUT... the story IS very good and well done though...

Since this is clearly the first in what likely will be a series of films featuring these two policemen working old cases (cold cases?) it sets the stage well in letting us get to know more about them and particularly why the more unfriendly cop is the way he is. What I appreciated about this movie was that they didn't overdo the characterizations like they easily could have done. They gave the main cop just the right tone of disaffection and dourness, but they didn't try to slam you over the head with it. What I also liked about this movie was that although it did present some uncomfortable situations (well, ONE, primarily), it wisely kept those elements restrained and didn't push it like so many do nowadays so freely and quite gleefully. For THAT I am thankful because I personally do NOT at all enjoy elements in films that glorify or greatly emphasize people's sadistic cruelty to others. Just not my thing... Make no mistake though, there IS a bit of that here, but being that I don't usually care for things like that, I felt that they kept an effective balance in depicting it.

I'm thinking that future films with these two characters will likely be even better because now the stage is set and they will probably be able to do a lot more with the stories and the characters as time goes on.

I would recommend this film IF you like slow burners that are not particularly flashy, but if you like ones that DO have a pretty good palpable sense of tension and suspense as the story unfolds. If you don't expect it to be TOO detailed or complex and you can just sit back and enjoy a good Police Procedural, you should find this one pretty entertaining.

'The Keeper of Lost Causes' is neither the first nor the last crime drama you'll see featuring a bad-tempered, middle-aged cop nurturing personal suffering and who plays by nobody's rules but his own. But it loses additional points for its ridiculous villain, with his implausible motivations and his Dr. Evil-like plan to murder his victim, which predictably is foiled only at the final moment. The weird thing here is that the tone of the drama is down-to-earth, realistic, yet the crime is almost comically preposterous (and the story of how the hero uncovers the truth scarcely less so). It's definitely not the finest hour of "Scandi-Noir".

I'll start at the top admitting I like my detective dramas to be dark, gripping, intelligent and firmly grounded in reality, however bizarre the crime story being told. I don't want superheroes in suits, impervious to beatings and bullets; I don't want ridiculously convoluted mysteries solved by unbelievable coincidence or unearned insights; I don't want villains who are Evil with a capital E, devoid of believable psychology, or even humanity - however twisted their actions might prove. So I am happy to have found the Department Q series! Much better than the majority of Hollywood detective dramas, these are somber, dark, gritty affairs, which are entirely believable without sacrificing suspense or bizarre, original crimes. Particularly in this first entry, they even go out of their way to portray a heinous, sadistic individual (imagine planning to slowly torture a victim for years!) who we are then made to understand, and even sympathize with, in a key sequence that is heartbreaking. You then watch this person for the remainder of the film without the comfortable distancing of a cartoon "Monster". Here the common, almost clichéd, character of the hard drinking "rogue cop" who is so obsessed and dedicated - however brilliant - no one wants to partner with him is treated realistically; those conditions are a result of a flawed personality, not some conceits assigned to an otherwise "likable" character who is usually also charming and funny and simply misunderstood by the two dimensional people around him. But the best characters can be interesting and involving while at the same time being frustrating and easy to dislike if the filmmakers have the courage to present a dimensional human being. And the characters here are three-dimensional. I highly recommend this film unless you're uncomfortable thinking that bad guys are humans too, that delving into the dark exacts a toll and all damaged cops don't smirk and crack one-liners like Bruce Willis selling out.

Lost Causes are cold cases this detective is supposed to wrap up and close out...but the first one he looks at shows promise. The back story and the pace really work at building suspense.

This is a really entertaining and straight forward crime drama with good central characters. There's no bells and whistles here, just good story telling with enough hints of back stories and enough tension to keep you wondering. We stumbled across it and glad to see there are more in the series. The Nordic Noir genre is awash with TV series and it's hard to know which to watch and which to avoid. Department Q is certainly one we will keep in touch with. I especially want to see how the relationship between the two leads develop and how their personal lives intersect with their work. Give it a look.

The point that I should start is the official title, "The girl in the cage", I prefer by far the worldwide title since it focus more on the protagonist (has an off-topic: the Italian title makes it sound like a documentary). If you like the old drama/mystery/crime movies like I do, you will love this one, doesn't add really nothing to the gender, but it's so well produced and the acting was on point, got to love when you see an actor, Nikolaj L. Kaas in this case, waking up in a realistic way, the mood of the whole movie brings you to that slow passing detective drama, rare in our days, with all the CSI around, and ends up with a very thrilling ending.

TL;dr - Noir nordish mood crime/drama

I was waiting for longtime to watch this movie after i saw review from Jackie cinemas and filmi craft...finally this movie not disappointed me but it wont be like 'the girl with the dragon tattoo' because simple plot with no twists..the story is, a girl was kidnapped by a guy and keep her in chamber for 5 years and atlast tries to kill her...

Somethings are just rewriting. Irritating to watch

I really enjoyed this - there are so many layers in this movie, the characters feel real, the plot feels believable, the scenery, although familiar to a scandinavian eye has an eerie undertone to it. Really worth watching if you enjoy the crime genre.