Varg Veum: The Black Sheep – Varg Veum – Svarte får (2011)

Directed by: Stephan Apelgren | 90 minutes | crime | Actors: Trond Espen Seim, Lene Nystrøm, Bjørn Floberg, Alexander Karim, Kjærsti Odden Skjeldal, Jakob Oftebro, Emil Johnsen, Skjalg Gamst Landsem, Tormod Vassel, Morten Espeland, Elisabeth Sand, Espen Hana, Veronika Flotve Røssland, Sarah Svege

The character Varg Veum was created by Norwegian writer Gunnar Staalesen. The first book about this antihero was published in 1977. The first film about the character appeared exactly thirty years later. Veum’s popularity is steadily increasing and the books have already been translated into Dutch, English, Swedish, Danish and German.

Veum is a gruff private detective who lives in Bergen, Norway. He is a typical loner who prefers to work alone and does not think much of the police. However, he is sometimes forced to deal with the boys in blue. In the film ‘Varg Veum: The Black Sheep’, the grubby private detective ventures into the underworld. His new girlfriend Karin has a dark family secret. Veum’s flame has a heroin-addicted sister who is involved in prostitution. When the newfound couple tries to keep her out of the clutches of her pimp, things erupt. The pimp isn’t happy that his source of income is just being taken from him.

The strength of this series is the title character and his view of the world. Veum is a cynical guy with a healthy dose of humor. His transverse attitude also sets him apart. Norwegian actor Trond Espen Seim plays this role with visible pleasure. Unlike his (fictional) German and Dutch colleagues, Veum is not infallible. Baantjer and Derrick are half saints compared to this gruff Norwegian. It is precisely that raw edge that makes Veum such an appealing character. The fact that our antihero is not a fighting machine also makes the films and book series interesting. Veum is a real person. Point.

‘Varg Veum: The Black Sheep’ is a dark thriller that occasionally drags on – not every scene is equally interesting and that comes at the expense of the tension – but which is quite exciting at times. The acting is very strong, the soundtrack convincing and the location (Norwegian Bergen) atmospheric. In terms of action, don’t expect too much from this series. There is some violence in it, but it is really mainly about the interaction between the characters. Recommended for anyone who likes dark detective series that take place in the depths of society.