Review of Bleeder (1999) by Tor M — 31 Jul 2017

Playful storytelling in this split story. There's a homage to films in one story, feeling going nowhere is the other one, the mix is great! Lenny is a movie buff, working at the video shop. He watches twelve filmes a week and only talks about films. He watches them in a basment with some buddies once in a while, Leo is one of them.

Leo has a crap job, a shabby place and a pregnant girl that he is treating bad. He is fed with this world and is angry at everyone. It does not help that Louis is his girls brother and he is tight with the guys too. Some of them are rugged fellas. Guns and beatings, there some racisism here, making sure there are enemies everywhere.

Superb script, funny and on point. It's all well acted out by great Danish actors in the starts of their careers, it's cool to see a young Mikkelsen and a young Bodnia doing very nice acting jobs. It's also one of Refn's first efforts - great stuff indeed. Fresh quality.

Neat atmosphere, some underlaying suspence and gory and rugged when needed. The film has loads of style, it's not overdone but always gritty and sincere.

8 out of 10 VHSes.