Northwest (2013)

Directed by: Michael Noer
Country: Denmark

Movie Review: Without being particularly original, “Northwest” gives a good notion of the multiracial conflicts in the Northwest’s Copenhagen's underworld. Casper is a 18-year-old burglar who works for Jamal, the leader of an Arab gang that controls the black market in town. Casper’s younger brother, Andy, isn’t very much welcome in the group, having inclusively some problems with Ali, a dangerous thug and Jamal's right-hand. Fed up of being tricked by the Arabs, Casper accepts a job's proposition made by Bjorn, a local drug dealer who also runs a prostitution business. Little by little, Casper involves his brother in these organized crime scenarios, but will have to deal with Jamal who starts to intimidate them. More about Casper and Andy’s personalities will be revealed when they are assigned to kill Jamal in his hiding place and things get out of control. Stepping known territories, “Northwest” revealed sufficient rawness and energy to be considered an efficient action-crime film. Helmer Michael Noer, who co-directed “R” with Tobias Lindholm in 2010, was capable of mixing racial and family issues in an engaging way, making us follow the story with expectation. Real brothers Gustav and Oscar Dyekjaer Giese did a great job, in a film that probably won’t be a reference in the genre but which offers interesting and believable situations.