Stockholm

This is a strange film to discuss. It's not sure whether it's a comedy, a drama or possibly a thriller. There's not enough tension to make it a thriller, there are some comedic moments, but not enough to make you laugh, and the characters are too thinly portrayed to make you invest in them for the drama to work. But, despite that, it's as fascinating in some ways as a slow-motion car crash - you just can't avert your eyes. Bizarre.

From what I've read this retelling of the 1973 robbery/hostage taking of the Kreditbanken bank in Stockholm is fairly accurate, although, obviously dramatized for a movie. Seems that the hostages, to some extent, had more faith in their well being from the captors than from the government & police. Thus our first widely discussed incident of hostages having some sympathy w/their captors. Both robbers continued, in minor ways, their history of crime after either serving their time or court hearings. Amusingly well acted.

"Their resistance to outside help and their loyalty toward their captors was puzzling, and psychologists began to study the phenomenon in this and other hostage situations." Rachel Lloyd

It doesn't pay to second guess Bianca Lind's (Noomi Rapace) falling for her abductor, Lars Nystrom (Ethan Hawke), in the real life 1973 heist/abduction that originated the descriptor, Stockholm Syndrome. Even as romantic as writer/director Robert Budreau makes the situation, no matter how crazy-charming he makes Lars, the situation, close to life or death, strains credulity.

Although the scene has been regularly described as "absurd" by officials and the media, Budreau and his first-rate actors create a reality that at the very least reminds me of Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon. Dog is another hostage situation at a bank with Sonny (Al Pacino) seeking funds for a sex change for his lover. Sounds absurd until you feel the human emotions involved; in Stockholm the sympathy flows between mother Bianca, with a weak husband, and the defiant but "soft" Lars.

Lars had been known to save a heart-attack victim at a heist and shows care for the hostages in the Stockholm bank. The two actors are so good, you can forgive his larceny and understand her attraction to him. It is by no means to exculpate Lars or to condemn the police for using gas-what else could they do?

No one would think that the cinematic setups of this heist are an accurate rendition of the Norrmalmstorg robbery, yet the heightened passions; Lars' motive to spring his bank robbery buddy, Gunnar (Mark Strong); and the imperfect strategies of Chief Mattsson (Christopher Heyerdahl) ring true in any situation. Stockholm is a stock situation riddled with humanity, and some light humor (see the bumbling husband), to make an eccentric spin on an old formula.

Enjoy the characters, and let your reality demands take a sideline.

Actually quite a good film as it's largely based on a true story and has historic psychological significance because of the relationship that developed between hostages and captors. Anyway with Noomi Rapace, Ethan Hawke and Mark Strong in it it couldn't be bad could it ?!

Quirky and amusing in places I thought it was worth seeing and don't really agree with the panning that some have given it on IMDb

Yeah. I was expecting more I guess. You get to watch Ethan Hawke run around with a porn stache but that's kinda all that happens. There's no real drama taking place and the comedic aspect leaves a lot to be desired.

I would suggest that if you are looking for a true biopic this is not really gonna give all you would expect. It isn't awful. It's just a bit dull and like I said, unimpressive.