In 1978, a struggling writer (David Fukamachi Regnfors) shares a huge Stockholm apartment with a boxer (David Dencik) and becomes fascinated with his past and current adventures, as well as those of his brother (Sverrir Gudnason). This elaborate and expensive adaptation of a landmark novel is a stunning failure from the Call Girl (2012) director. The same intriguing sense of paranoia and abundant 1970s details bring character to it, but the story is overly plotted, impenetrable and full of dead ends.
2014-Sweden. 141 min. Color-B/W. Widescreen. Directed by Mikael Marcimain. Screenplay, Novel: Klas Östergren. Cinematography: Jallo Faber. Production Design: Linda Janson. Cast: David Fukamachi Regnfors (Klas Östergren), David Dencik (Henry Morgan), Ruth Vega Fernandez (Maud), Sverrir Gudnason (Leo Morgan), Pernilla August, Peter Carlberg… Magnus Krepper, Jennie Silfverhjelm, Magnus Roosmann, Amanda Ooms.
Trivia: Expanded and continued as a miniseries, Gentlemen & Gangsters (2016).
Yes, the story is confusing. But I find parts of the filming, and some of the music, good. Here in Sweden I see many films about Stockholm, that make me want to go there again. Haven’t visited for 40 years.