Note please that this a review of the original Swedish version, with subtitles, not the remake. I apologize in advance for preferring originals -- the original, in Japanese, of the Ring, for example, was a much better horror film, but did I admit lack the luminescence of Naomi Watts. And the original of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, one of the best vampire movies ever -- with an odd POV no one has come close to matching -- was set in the snowbelt of Europe, and no remake in Mexico is going to come close. Apologies aside, this show hit the trifecta of miniseries. 1. First, astonishing story. A body found on the boundary line of two countries, bisected right down the middle, so two cops from 2 different countries who arguably don't even like each other (initially) have to work together. 2. Relationships. I confess by the final instalment I was less interested in catching the bad guy than in the ongoing relationship between the aforesaid two cops. 3. Acting. It is stellar throughout with no weak performances, but the most astonishing thing in the production is Sofia Helin. First, she is pleasing to the eye, and the camera knows this, so 100s of closeups. No objection from this viewer. Second, she has to "sell" a role which sees her as a top-tier female detective in a man's world who clearly has either Aspergers or some form of autism, and yet is constantly trying to do the right thing. I don't want to spoil it for you -- which I guess is why they call em spoilers -- but look at the scene where she has to explain to her new, non-domestic, "partner cop" why, when the teenage son of said cop asked if he could stay overnight at her place ... she agreed! Well, the acting, the reaction shots, the whole tone just screams potential for taking these characters and basing a whole NA show on them. (OK, call that a prediction, lets see what happens on this side of the ocean)
Review of The Bridge
