I enjoyed the book Headhunters by Jo Nesbo much more than this Norwegian author’s other titles, which include the debauched (and a little tiresome) detective, Harry Hole. Headhunters is a more grounded story set in ‘normal’ Oslo business world rather than in the murky Norwegian criminal underworld. (Bearing in mind we are talking Nordic crime fiction which itself seldom has much to do with reality).
So as a fan of the book, and having missed the film at cinema, I was looking forward to the release of the Headhunters DVD. I was also pleasantly surprised when I discovered it was a Norwegian production, rather than a Hollywood one, and one which stays fairly true to the book in its plot and characters.
The vertically challenged Roger Brown is a high-flying Oslo headhunter, with a beautiful (and expensive) wife and a dangerous art habit. Just as he’s beginning to run out of money he runs into a charming, tall businessman who he thinks will solve all his overspending problems.
The film, just as the book is fast, furious, funny and completely unbelievable. But as Sunday night viewing, or as a hangover flick when you really don’t want to tax your brain too much, it’s perfect.
Axel Hennie as Roger Brown is excellent, his portrayal of the ambitious, desperate, mad, and at times hapless lead, is spot on. Both Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Synnove Macody Lund are equally good as the two ‘lucky and beautiful’ people. I also particularly like the two country policemen, who being used to policing drunken locals are more than out of their depth with the prevailing headhunt.
Have you seen this Nordic crime flick and if so did you enjoy it?
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