[Rating: Solid Rock Fist Up]
In Theaters and VOD on February 21
If America can repackage (Den of Thieves) or reimagine (The Town) Heat every couple of years, why can’t Scandinavia? The Quiet Ones (De Lydløse) may not live up to Michael Mann’s 1995 opus, but none do and that doesn’t really matter, because in this world the action IS the juice, the basic thematic/narrative formula holds, and what works far outweighs what doesn’t.
Like Heat, The Quiet Ones opens with an armored truck robbery gone wrong, this time in Gothenburg, Sweden rather than L.A. In this new version the scene is less about setting a chain reaction of events in motion and is more of an introduction to who the audience is dealing with, here. A year later, when the leader of the Swedish heist crew approaches amateur boxer and sometime thief Kasper (Gustav Giese) in Denmark, the event and its reputation more than precede him. This leader, Slimani (Reda Kateb), wants to enlist Kasper into a small team tasked with robbing a money depository, proposing a quick smash-and-grab score.
Struggling to get by financially as well as emotionally, Kasper conceives of a more ambitious plan, one that requires two dozen accomplices blocking roads and causing mayhem all around Copenhagen to maximize their haul. For Kasper, the job is more than just a means to get rich quick, but a shot at achieving a fully realized version of himself that family and boxing just can’t provide. For the violent and abusive Slimani, the motivations appear to be different though no less personal, while depository security guard/police hopeful, Maria (Amanda Collin), is the only one on the other side of the law with even a whiff of what’s going on (and plenty of motivation of her own).
Radio and television news reports in the background of the movie set it smack dab in the middle of the 2008 financial crisis, and the juxtaposition of traditional thieves scheming in the wake of one of history’s greatest robberies is a rich text from which to draw. The irony of stealing from banks that are in the process of getting caught stealing themselves could have been overplayed, but its presence in the film’s background (instead of explicitly stated by the characters) is the perfect balance of setting, theme, and place. The fact that heist organizers like Kasper and Slimani seem to care less about the money and more about the simple act of executing the biggest boost in the nation’s history is also a great touch, and like Heat, illustrates that this story is less about the act of stealing, and is more of an examination of those who choose to take (and the ones that pursue them).
And while the themes are all there, the connective tissue to the characters is sometimes a little thin, leaving the audience wanting more. The script by Anders Frithiof August sets Kasper up well by establishing his family dynamic and boxing aspirations, even using some sand dripping out of a busted heavy bag as a clever hourglass motif, but the “why” of his journey is left vague. A scene showing him unable to make rent or losing his anticipated fight would have gone a long way towards explaining the path that leads him towards the robbery, but it never comes. Likewise, the film sets up Slimani as a ruthless, Jekyll/Hyde timebomb with his own agenda, but what drives or inspires him is frustratingly unclear.
Ironically, it’s the primary character that gets the least amount of screen time who enjoys the most pathos in this regard. Maria explains early on during a verbal police examination that there are few priorities in her mind above catching the bad guy and exacting justice, and really, that’s enough for what she must do (especially in Collin’s very capable hands). Director Frederik Louis Hviid positions Maria and all of the characters just so, piecing together the important motivations and factors so everything is lined up for the score at the end.
And as for the main event, while it may not have Hollywood production values, it hits as hard as anything this side of Netflix or Prime’s original catalogue. No spoilers, but the heist is a white-knuckle anxiety marathon that more than lives up to the hour or so required to set it all up. The pulsing synth score by Martin Dirkov ripples just beneath the surface like a heartbeat, and what starts as a robbery gradually transforms into a referendum on each character and what they are really seeking.
The fact that this is all based on a true story (the robbery in August 2008 was the largest in Denmark’s history) adds an extra layer of intrigue to the action, and compliments the historical (global financial crisis) context running through the foundation of the story. And while The Quiet Ones might not reach the same heights as Heat, as already mentioned: few do. A tight, precise, tense, lean, and thoughtful action thriller that is more concerned with the “why” of its crimes than the “how,” the film largely accomplishes what it sets out to do. A little light in character development at times, though not so much to lower its batting average all that much, The Quiet Ones isn’t the kind of thing you drop in 30-seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.
“Obvious Child” is the debut novel of Warren Cantrell, a film and music critic based out of Seattle, Washington. Mr. Cantrell has covered the Sundance and Seattle International Film Festivals, and provides regular dispatches for Scene-Stealers and The Playlist. Warren holds a B.A. and M.A. in History, and his hobbies include bourbon drinking, novel writing, and full-contact kickboxing.
You must log in to post a comment.