Soulless and Faceless


The Weather remains somewhat unfortunate today, so we were at a bit of a loss what to do with the mother-in-law. After detailed discussions we decided to venture over the Welsh Border to a fairly local "shopping and entertainment outlet" where Chris and his mum went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a film that I enjoyed but would be buggered if I would sit through it all again!, so I searched the meagre film offerings on offer and ended up finding a single showing of the Norwegian thriller Hodejegerne (Headhunters)
I guessed that a subtitled film was a rarity at the multiplex as the 12 year old ticket taker felt she had to mention that I was going into a "foreign" movie adding in way of explanation, that "some people walk out when they realise that they have to read subtitles"
I just about stopped myself from jumping into silly sarcasm, and merely said with a smile
that "I could cope"
I bloody hate these faceless "out of town all-singing and all dancing" shopping centres, but when needs must, I suppose they do serve a purpose........at least the film was good!

Aksel Hennie, before the  shit bath

Hodejegerne is interesting thriller. Think of "The Thomas Crown Affair" ( the one with Rene Russo), add a big dollop of 1940s Film Noir and cross with the brutality of say Fargo and you will get a flavour of what Headhunters is all about.
It stars the rather short and odd looking Aksel Hennie who plays professional headhunter and secret art thief Roger Brown. Brown has a beautiful, loyal and oh so tall Amazonian wife (Synnøve Macody Lund) who he cheats on; a challenging work life in the shape of nemesis entrepreneur Claus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), who is not what he seems, and a criminal life that leads him into murder and mayhem.
As Brown's life unravels, he embarks on a terrifying cat and mouse game with a psychopathic killer which includes a horrendous fist fight with a savage fighting dog, a bloody chase through the Norwegian countryside and a particularly disgusting delve into a pit of human excrement! and as we watch his trials and tribulations the audience warms to this previously unsympathetic "little man" character, which is a rather clever and nice touch , I thought as you start the film hating his driven personality, and end the movie cheering his resourcefulness .....

It's a tight, interesting and rather stylish thriller. Just the ticket on a Tuesday afternoon
8/10

17 comments:

  1. Those monikers belong in yesterday's post.
    Jane x

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  2. The film sounds interesting. If it comes to the US they'll probably give it another title (maybe Norwegian Outhouse?) and show it only in art houses over in Minneapolis. People from St Paul don't like to go over to Mpls and vice versa.

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  3. I sat through The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel recently and enjoyed it. I have to agree I wouldn't want to sit through it again!

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  4. Glad you found a suitable alternative.
    Have a good night!

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  5. I saw the coming attractions for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel a few months ago and see it will start playing around here in May. I hope I get to see it as it has very good reviews.

    Movies with subtitles are my favorite as I tend to get more immerced in them. It is like seeing the book coming to life.

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  6. Anonymous8:50 pm

    John, beware of 'subtitled' films. They may make you want to learn yet another foreign language. Which is why I recently latched onto Danish. DANISH? Am I ok? Should I worry? Who speaks Danish? Other than Danes. Must be the guttural appealing to me.

    Next time you are at loss with MIL or anyone else on your average April shower day dig out your old board games. The Angel and I did recently. Oh did we laugh. It took us twice as long to work out those long forgotten rules of a game for four years olds than to play the damn thing. Great fun. No, not monopoly.

    U

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  7. ursula
    last night we played card games.. all the ones I remembered from school!!

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  8. That whole shit scene - did it by chance remind you of anything?

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  9. my life CATHY...my life!

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  10. Loved Cathy's comment and your reply. I don't do scary movies, so i shall not be seeing this film.

    I don't mind subtitles, although i've been surprised by more than one acquaintance when i heard the comment, "Oh, how can you read a movie?"

    Well, if i knew enough languages, i wouldn't have to, i suppose. A dear friend who's hard of hearing said she loves subtitled films because she can follow along quite well.

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  11. The movie sounds eminently forgettable. But that's immaterial; it's not likely to make it from Norway to the west side of the pond.

    Peace and joy!

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  12. Doesn't sound like quite my kind of movie (OK, Winnie the Pooh is too violent for me...that whole head-in-the-hunypot thing sets my little heart to racing). But tomorrow I must go to the mall to buy makeup. And I would rather watch that Norwegian movie three freaking times than go there...just saying.

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  13. My sister recently saw TBEMH, and actually stated that she would be quite happy to see it again. Maybe it appeals to women more than men....I have no idea!

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  14. It sounds rather good. I haven't been to the best marigold hotel yet either, but however poor the script, with a cast like that it must be worth seeing!

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  15. That young ticket person sure knows how to promote multicultural cinema! Perhaps they should stand outside a Chinese restaurant forewarning diners that the fayre will be "foreign".

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  16. By golly, I believe you've inadvertently stumbled upon the reason for today's high unemployment rate ... it's the 12-year-olds! Not just your ticket-taker, either... oh no, I'm telling you, they've taken jobs everywhere now. Police, doctors, dentists... they're ALL twelve! (I mean, really. Shouldn't the fellow who wants to perform surgery on you at least be past the peach fuzz and voice-changing stage ...?)

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  17. I hate shopping centres too John. Glad you saw Best Exotic. I would not wish to see it twice though. I have just read the book and it is in no way like the film - hardly any similarity, although in some ways I liked it better.
    I can never understand what people see in wandering around shopping centres - all the stuff is the same and most of it is stuff you can do without.
    Give me a farm shop any day (or a shop selling all things animal)

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