The Keeper of the Lost Causes is the latest instalment in the Scandinavian crime oeuvre, in which yet another novel of sinister criminality is adapted for the screen, writes Mark Orton.
The Keeper of the Lost Causes
Director: Mikkel Norgaard
Cast: Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Sonja Richter
Rating: (M)
Three stars (out of five)
The author is Jussi Adler-Olsen and in keeping with the potential for lucrative sequels, this is part one in a series known as Department Q.
Whereas the Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo-inspired films require a certain degree of concentration, The Keeper of the Lost Causes is not nearly as demanding.
However, what it lacks in plot, The Keeper of the Lost Causes makes up for with an adaptation of the monochromatic template that makes Denmark look like the land of never-ending darkness.
The centre of attention is inspector Carl Morck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas), a man so emotionally traumatised by a bungled house raid he is sent to the department of cold cases to cool his heels.
Pairing up with Assad (Fares Fares), another lost soul, the two men ignore departmental orders and open the case of a woman who disappeared five years previously.
Staged as a quasi-buddy film, Carl and Assad are cut from totally different cloth, which isn't such a bad thing except for the fact that Carl has about as much charisma as a brick with eyes.
Nikolaj Lie Kaas totally overdoes the moody introspective bit, which doesn't make for the most endearing trench-coat hero.
Thankfully his character connects enough dots at regular intervals to keep the storyline progressing at a good clip.
Best thing: The stylised car crash sequence, very Breaking Bad.
Worst thing: Expecting a twist that never eventuates.
See it with: Anyone needing a fix of grisly Scandinavian crime.
