LFF 2013 - Northwest

Films about young criminals have almost become part and parcel on British filmmaking for some time now, with the likes of Kidulthood and beyond all serving up hard-hitting drama on the streets. One film looking to emanate those from the shores of Denmark is the gritty Northwest, a crime drama that really packs a hefty punch and brings to the foray a superb leading character.

Casper (Gustav Dyekjaer Giese) is a small-time criminal who spends his days breaking into people's homes and stealing valuable goods, only to sell them on to his 'boss' Jamal (Dulfi Al-Jabouri). Unfortunately for Casper, Jamal seems to be undervaluing the goods tht have been stolen and consequently the thief is becoming tired of his current employer's attitude towards him.

Cue Bjørn (Roland Møller), a seemingly big-time player in the criminal steaks, who offers Casper the chance to escape Jamal and work for him. Initially working on stolen goods, Casper soon works his way up the ranks under this new leadership and becomes a driver for prostitutes, earning him plenty of money to support his family. As his reputation begins to build, so does the unwanted attention from Jamal, and his brother Andy (real life sibling Oscar Dyekjaer Giese) also joining the ranks as his partner in crime creates a whole host of problems for Casper.

Those familiar with the territories of crime thrillers may look upon Northwest as yet another paint-by-numbers offering that appears on the surface as no more than another generic film not quite offering anything different. Thankfully, in Michael Noer's Northwest there is plenty to beam about, despite the subject matter being one that has been replicated time and time again.

Set in an area of Copenhagen commonly known as the Northwest, an area littered with criminals and often embroiled in gang feuds and violence, Northwest instantly strikes a chord in being a greatly grounded and honest representation of crime in a downtrodden area. The streets are filled with old and beaten-up cars, youths walk the streets looking for trouble, and gangs embark on the alleyways and garages around properties to plot their next mark of activity. It's all rather sticking to the core of realism and keeps within the lines to drop our characters into a world that we can ultimately remain invested in.

In that very world the character themselves also remain under that air of realism and rarely deter from it, helping to keep Northwest almost reminiscent of a crime documentary seen on television. This, in the main, is down to a superb leading performance from the elder Giese brother, whose presence and all-round characteristics drive forward the story of Casper. Casper is very much a young man whose priorities lie with his family, and when we experience his time with them is possibly when we get the best out of the actor. Conveying that love towards his mother and brother, and even more so when it comes to his young sister, Giese maintains a believability to Casper's insistence that they be rewarded for all his actions. This is very much a man whose criminal life seems the only option if his family is to live a good life and that air of desperation is always present upon his face throughout.

Alongside Giese, his real-life brother also packs a punch with an individual who very much wants to be like his brother, almost emanate him. Their relationship off-screen is clearly the catalyst for their on-screen partnership as the very actions and reactions to each other are pinpoint accurate to those of real life siblings, once again creating that authentic edge. Elsewhere, the rest of the cast do their best to portray individuals very much in the middle of a criminal life and, while they add some zest, are outshone by the two brothers.

Northwest could have been a simple and all too familiar offering into the library of crime-based films, but instead director Michael Noer differentiates and allows his picture to be seen away from the crowd. Gone is the usual path of a criminal we've seen all too often, instead replaced by a thoroughly interesting and strong lead whose journey is as enthralling as it is nail-biting. Both Giese brothers shine in their roles and help to add a nice punch to the events unfolding and the location of the film does wonders to create the atmosphere required for such a story. This is one Danish import worth investing in.