Varg Veum: The dead are well off – Varg Veum – De døde har det godt (2012)

Directed by: Erik Richter Strand | 90 minutes | crime | Actors: Trond Espen Seim, Lene Nystrøm, Bjørn Floberg, Fumi Desalu-Vold, Jørgen Langhelle, Bintu Sakor, Freddy Steimler, Madeleine Barwén Trollvik

Thanks to the phenomenon of Varg Veum, the Norwegian coastal town of Bergen is on the map. Not only because of the phenomenal view, but also because of the many fictitious crimes that take place there. In the dark world of private detective Varg Veum, quite a bit is happening in the apparently peaceful city. Also in the film ‘De døde har det godt’ – or ‘The dead are well’, good old Bergen is hit again.

Veum is called in to investigate a murder case. The body of a 17-year-old girl has been found in the harbor of Bergen. Elsewhere in the city, the headquarters of a social welfare organization has been broken into. Veum and his girlfriend Karin suspected that there is a connection between the murder and the burglary. Before the duo realize it, it’s in a wasp’s nest.

The films about the charismatic Veum revolve around character development. Each time you discover more about the personality and attitude to life of the main character. Norwegian actor Trond Espen Seim is perfectly cast and respectfully portrays the boyish, slightly cynical antihero. Seim gets good counterplay from Lene Nystrøm who portrays Karin as a stubborn and spirited lady. The interplay of the two is very pleasant to watch. This is not a Hollywood couple, but a normal couple with empathetic problems. The strong acting of the cast is reason enough to watch this crime thriller. Fans of the series should not miss this episode anyway, because the tension is very strong.

It’s amazing that the character still shows no signs of wear after countless films and books. By constantly revealing more about Veum’s past, you remain fascinated. Private detective Varg Veum originated from the brain of the Norwegian writer Gunnar Staalesen. His first adventure appeared in 1977. In 2007 the novel character was brought to the silver screen. Smart, because the interest in Scandinavian thrillers has risen sharply in recent years. Thanks to series like ‘The Killing’ and of course ‘Millennium’. Veum’s popularity is steadily increasing and the books have already been translated into Dutch, English, Swedish, Danish and German.