La Disparue de Lørenskog

Fascinating, detailed, intriguing examination of a real-life missing person case. Each episode follows one of the parties involved, ie the police, the journalists, the lawyers, and the story emerges from this fractured looking glass. All good and original and engaging so far. However, when it comes to the 5th and final episode, this series simply just pulls up the drawbridge on the story and gives nothing to the viewer by way of theory, explanation, new perspective. OK it's a 'true' story, more or less, and as such the jury is still out and no one has been convicted. But ending the series with little more than a shrug just confirms this as s a TV experience this is just a distraction for a few hours and with nothing to contribute to the subject it asks us to consider. To be avoided.

As Episode 1 of "The Lorenskog Disappearance" (2022 release from Norway; 5 episodes of about 50 min each) opens, we are reminded that this is "based on real events". It is "31 October 2018" and a man calls 911 as his wife has disappeared from their house, and a ransom letter was left by the kidnappers with instructions. Turns out this guy, Tom, is one of Norway's richest persons, despite a very modest life style. At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: I (and millions like me) love me a good true crime story. Even though it's based on real events, I knew absolutely nothing about this when I started watching, and I think that only upped the entertainment level a notch or two. The series is structured from different entrance points, for example Ep 1 centers on "The Investigators", Ep 2 on "The Journalists", Ep 3 on "The Lawyers", etc. In the end we are all dying to find out how all of this will end. I was not familiar with any of the cast or the production team, and I> can only say that they did a great job making this into a compelling true crime mini-series.

I'm not sure when this first started streaming on Netflix, probably a couple of months ago. Netflix suggested it to me the other day, and I gladly took them up on it. I've seen 3 episodes so far (last night), and can't wait to see the last 2 tonight. If you are in the mood for a compelling true crime mini-series from Norway, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

A police procedural/investigative journalism series set in 2018 and following in Lørenskog, Norway. It's based on an actual case concerning a wealthy entrepreneur and the mysterious disappearance of his wife.

Each 50-minute episode looks at a different facet of the investigation, though the flow is chronological. Anne-Elisabeth Hagen is kidnapped at the beginning of the first episode. Her husband, Tom (Terje Strømdahl), is a wealthy billionaire. The kidnappers make ransom demands.

Jorunn Lakke (Yngvild Støen Grotmol) leads the police investigation along with her partner, Micael Delvir (Kidane Gjølme Dalva). Erlend Moe Riise (Christian Rubeck) is the lead journalist for the local paper; he appears to have informants within the police department that give him tips to influence the coverage. Aleks Zaretski (Victoria Ose) is another journalist who thinks the newspaper should pursue more theories.

The investigation stretches over two years as police and journalists encounter deadends, unconfirmed circumstantial evidence, questionable procedures, and unreliable sources. In addition, they encounter many potential villains, including Tom Hagen. Nevertheless, the story's final resolution is realistic.

This movie was fascinating to watch in the context of the "She said" film I recently watched that touted the necessity and doggedness of good investigative journalism. "The Lørenskog Disappearance" is more ambiguous, raising questions about the relationship between the press and the police and the possibility of tunnel vision hindering both investigations. I thought it was well done, though several storylines were left undeveloped, and a relatively large array of bad guys made following things difficult.

This series frustrated me, although I watched it until the end. I found it extremely difficult to follow. But I wanted to know what was going to happen, since after all, this is based on a true story. With none of the characters I could sympathise, since they are all distant and dark. Moreover, and worst of all, I lost the thread of the story. At a certain point I did not even know anymore if I had seen already several characters that were shown. This is really a pity because the story in itself seems intriguing; the media parroting the police and one police officer even feeding deliberately the media with information. The female journalist that was courageous and probably right, hence different from her colleagues, lost her job and we did not see her anymore. There is absolutely nothing beautiful or interesting in the way this has been filmed, neither in the dialogues, nor in the scenery and definitely not in the way the story is told. The Danish series "The Investigation", on the contrary, tells in a magnificent way also a horrible true story and the actors are all fabulous.

A Norwegian thriller based on true events.

This kidnapping story could have been packed in one movie and not divided in seven hours episodes. Too long because it couldn't keep enough my attention with suspense or intriguing elements. At the end of the second part I switched off. Okay, in the first part these ingredients were shown but the longer it run the more I was bored to continue watching these seven part limited series. Yes, luckily only limited. Watch instead the top Hollywood kidnapping movies Trapped, Cellular with Kim Basinger, Panic Room with Julianne Moore or The Call with Halle Berry.