Nordvest

Really enjoyed this film.Good actors and story.Worth watching if you fancy something different from usual Hollywood action film

I saw this movie at the Rotterdam film festival 2013 (IFFR), where it was part of the Bright Future section. It is a story around 18 year old Caspar, who starts modestly as a burglar stealing valuables or electronic equipment on demand. He has a fixed "contract" with Jamal, who buys the loot from him. However, Caspar has plans to scale up, and gradually comes to terms with tough guy Björn. He gets accepted in those circles, and assigned more and more responsible tasks. All is going well and according to plan, until the moment that Jamal decides to have his revenge. This gets out of hand very soon, and you hardly can expect a smooth escape out of this situation, and thus assume a not so very happy end.

The film is named after Northwest, a suburb district of Copenhagen (Denmark). Not only because of a strong reputation of youth crime, this area was also chosen for a simple practical reason: it was open enough to let the film makers in and to cooperate with them. Much knowledge about the neighborhood was acquired by asking around and talking with locals living there. The director made documentaries before, and this was the usual method of operations for him. Moreover, they really tried to blend in while shooting, by living in the apartment (together with mom and kids) that was used in the film as decor.

The information in the previous paragraph was gathered from a final Q&A with the film makers, a considerable subset of them present with the screening. It was the 2nd screening ever, on the day immediately following the world premiere in Sweden. Some of the crew were still recuperating from a hangover, but answered as best as possible on questions from moderator and audience. From the Q&A we also learned that none of the actors is educated as such, but most of them played before in movies or TV series. The way this director makes movies is working without a detailed script, leaving much improvised. The scene and setting is rehearsed before the shooting, but what actually happens after the camera switches on, is merely ad-hoc and left to the actors.

All in all, an interesting plot, giving some insight in how the criminal mind works, and opening lots of opportunities for even so interesting developments. Maybe also a bit about second generation immigrant Jamal versus native Björn, and upholding respect from their respective gangs?? Apart from portraying street violence and youth gangs, the story is also about the impact that this dangerous way of living can have on family relationships. It is really a "way of living" to survive in such circumstances, and not always easy to keep your family out of it, be it to repair the damages when you come home wounded, or when people are waiting for you outside to collect money or have an argument. And it gets easily from bad to ugly by throwing things through the window, or even threatening to set the house on fire.

The festival visitors gave an average score of 4.268 (out of 5), thereby ranking it 21st (out of 178) for the audience award. As far as I'm concerned, this film maker shows indeed a Bright Future, deservedly put in the festival section with that name.

Even in the welfare society, it is difficult for a single mother to raise 3 children, particularly if two are teens whose need for money and approval is high. And less decent neighborhood includes several lures difficult to resist... Such is the background where two brothers Casper and Andy - leading characters of the film - have to cope. Surroundings is ugly and hard, with lots of gangs and violence, and outside help is scarcely available (incl. police or special organisations) - apart from adult criminals (such as Bjørn or Jamal) eager to use the youngsters' unshaped personality. But sooner or later, you have to make choices, and in such a way living, it is usually between bad and worse... The ending scenes are logical, although the very end could have been less brusque; well, it was intentional, I guess, for viewers pondering on and over.

The cast is rather uneven, the real brothers Dyekjær Gieses depict Casper and Andy well and in a realistic manner, but all the others were uninviting to me. The plot seemed unsteady, floating as well, some scenes remained incomplete or provided no additional meaning to the film. Or I am just unable to see more values because I have been "spoiled" by distinguishable acting (e.g. Mikkelsens, Bodnia, Lie Kaas) and more sophisticated plots (e.g. Vinterberg, Vinding Refn) visible in Danish films.

This movie relates the story of a young man living in a modest suburb in Denmark. Skilled burglar, he will try to rise the grade of the criminal underworld, underestimating the dangerousness of the consequences of his acts. Far from Hollywood gangster movies, the way this movie was recorded, the scenery as well as the actor's performances plunge the viewer into a deeply realistic violence. Interestingly, the film maker (Michael Noer) succeeded in showing a violence that will knot your stomach without being gore at all which is very rare nowadays. An excellent movie, in the direct line of Gomorra (Matteo Garrone), in a radically different geographical situation.

Some people expect that Scandinavia has no problems; here you can see gangs and violence in Denmark. "Nordwest" is very entertaining movie about Danish underworld. Besides that, it is important to highlight the successful narrative strategy chosen by movie makers: exploring the contrasts. Throughout the movie, until the very end, the story alternates between family life and crime, poor and wealthy living, immigrants and white men, intimidation and fear, child innocence and bandit violence, preserving the brother and introducing him to the gang, defenseless prostitutes and mob warriors, noise and silence, fast pace and stillness. I strongly recommend this film. Some people complained about the end, but I think it was a great idea. Indeed, that's the difference between obvious formulas and the mastery of the cinema language.