Headhunters

Roger Brown has a pretty good life. By day, he's a corporate recruiter (headhunter) who goes home at night to a magnificent house and stunning wife. Unfortunately, Roger's insecurities (he's only 5'6") lead him to seek a lifestyle well beyond his means. How does he make up the difference between his income and expenses? High-priced art theft, of course.

Such is the premise of "Headhunters," a terrific Norwegian film that follows up its run at the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival with a general release. The film garnered quite a lot of buzz at the Festival and, after a recent screening, it's easy to see why. A mixture of crime/heist drama, action/suspense thriller, and love story, it's what the 1999 version of "The Thomas Crown Affair" might have looked like if it had been directed by Sam Peckinpah.

Brown, played by Aksel Hennie, is looking for one big score to settle him for life. Circumstances bring that possibility to him, but things are not what they seem. Things go wrong - very, very wrong - and Roger finds himself in deep, deep sh** (literally as well as figuratively.) To say much more would spoil the intricate plot (I'll leave that to the trailer,) but suffice it to say you should just sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the ride. This film has more twists and turns than a fjord-side road.

Fast paced and extremely violent in spots, this film is not for the squeamish. If you can get through a little (well, a lot) of body mutilation, high impact body trauma and the occasional spearing, you'll find yourself enjoying (yes, I said it – enjoying) a cinematic thrill ride that puts its American counterparts (see Ocean's Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen, etc.) to shame.

Catch it before the typical half-assed American remake appears…

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At first I have to say I read the novel of which this movie is based upon, "Headhunters" by Jo Nesbø, two years ago. A thriller I liked quite a lot. Usually a novel is better than the film. Well, here Morten Tyldum (Acclaimed films as "Buddy" and a short in "Most people usually live in China"), succeeded in making a film just as interesting and exciting as the book.

Nesbø's writing is interesting. This is most probably why Jo Nesbø's first movie adaption of his series of novels with Harry Hole will be directed by Martin Scorsese, on Nesbø's demand - his favorite director.

Actually I still kept being surprised as the movie went along. Not only because I can't remember all details in the book, but simply because the movie has a pace and also from time to time action-clipping which makes you feel poor Roger Brown's disasters. The handcraft is beautifully done. As simple as that.

Actually this film was sold to more than 50 distributors in just as many countries before it even premiered in Norway. Probably both to the novel writers Jo Nesbø's for the latter years has become world acclaimed and compared to Stieg Larsson, buy maybe also due to director Morten Tyldums merits so far. Of course also credit to the producers, managing to sell on a promise!?

Mark Wahlberg has said he was stunned by the film, and is now to make an American remake of it, with himself as Roger. Which, of course, is not at all needed. The original is as good as it gets.

Well, back to the story. Roger Brown is a self-obtained headhunter for big companies, which has to steal art on the side to keep his woman happy. Or at least he think he has to do so. He has all the right connections, until he starts stealing from the wrong guy, while headhunting him as a new boss to a successful company. A former mercenary, or different kind of headhunter, he's turning out to be. When he understands that his greed has gotten him into trouble, he really finds out what it is, being headhunted.

Both Aksel Hennie and Nicolai Coaster-Waldau is perfectly casted for this movie. Synnøve Macody Lund does a decent job in her debut-role, as do the rest of the cast. Fun also to see that real working police-chiefs in Oslo are attending the police press conference in the movie. Didn't know that even was possible for them to be allowed to do that. This actually makes both an in-joke as well as making the plot believable and "true" in our country.

It will surprise me if this film doesn't get a remake in Hollywood in less than two years. Not that it'll be as good as this, or even necessary. But that's how the Hollywood-world is, nowadays.

No doubt, the script is good. So is in all aspects the rest of the film as well. The film is smart, intelligent, surprising witty, and will engage you all the way through, both as a good story as well as a love story or a thriller. How much more do you want?

The main keywords of this movie are: amazing entertainment. You should not take it too seriously (does not want to be) and you might enjoy it as I did.

The plot is intriguing, the direction perfect, the acting very good, especially Aksel Hennie, but it is the no stop action, the hard and funny scenes and mainly the twist, no way out, complex situation in which is the protagonist, that entertain in here.

The film was able to keep me glued to the chair, to surprise me, to give me suspense and also make me smile. A whole range of emotions that I believe are essential to enjoy a movie of this kind.

A fun and entertain thriller. Highly suggested.

8/10

I have seen some plot holes mentioned by other reviewers, but to be honest it won't spoil your viewing of this movie and I could even say that most films ask you for some kind of suspension of disbelief, otherwise you'd never go to the movies.

I really didn't like the protagonist at all at first, but then your sympathy for him grows as he ends up having to do things that he wouldn't dream of in a million years, just to stay alive.

It's all handled very well and moves along at a nice pace. There some particularly black moments when you almost feel guilty about laughing. But this film got a reaction from me, and for me, that's what a well put together film should do.

Dark Scandinavian crime movies being all the rage lately, this intelligent, action-packed thriller didn't disappoint. I went into the film without reading the book or indeed knowing a single thing about the film. I enjoyed it.

I was drawn into this northern world with its interesting people and beautiful natural scenery. What also made this movie stand out was the fast-paced plot with many unusual and unexpected twists. It is the kind of film that has you glued to your seat to see what could possibly happen next to the main character. Roger Brown, the headhunter, becomes headhunted. (But what's the story with the English name??)

No movie is perfect. There were a few plot problems and I have to admit I looked at my watch half way through, despite the fast pace.

Perhaps the film could be faulted for showing only two types of Norwegians: rich sophisticates and yokels (all blond of course). Aren't there any ordinary middle-class people in Norway?

Also, some of the scenes may be too difficult for the squeamish to watch. Not exessive, but just a little over the top.

I'd give this film a higher score, but I am not a fan of the genre. Still, I did enjoy it for what it was and would recommend it to anyone. It's a good movie.