Review of Pusher (1996) by James M — 06 Jun 2007

This drug induced, metal pumping film from Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn shows you just what having a bad week is all about. Our central character Frank who is living in the limelight, building up his credit through the sale of drugs. The biggest deal is thrown on the table, but he has to find the stuff fast. He looks to Milo, a bad cooking drug lord, who Frank happens to owe 50,000s to already. No worries, make the deal and there's more than enough to go around. Refn's style is fresh, very much like a docudrama packing heat. Life in Denmark will never be the same once you've sat down to view this little gem. Frank gets the stash and heads for the meeting place with his co-hort, Tonny. The tide turns as the deal goes sour when the cops bust the party and catch Frank dumping 200gs in the lake.

Soon that 50gs turns into 230,000gs and Frank finds out someone close to him is taking. The heat gets hotter and the walls begin to move in on him as the week goes by. Milo wants his cash, friend or no friend Frank your a dead man! He begins to contact people owing him money only to find that they too don't have the dough. Franks options are running into a dead end, the only way out is to head for Spain with is showgirl,Vic. That's quickly squished when Frank makes a quick deal and a phone called from Milo that cuts him a deal and his life. The pace of this film is set in overdrive, edge of your seat situation having biting your nails hoping Frank comes up with the goods and make the right decisions, don't think so! The end of this film will have you thinking, it's much like a cliff-hanger, but with the images before the ending is resolved for the most part.

Kim Bodina's portrayal of drug-pusher, Frank is very raw and bare-bones. His ruthless approach gives that character that much more edge. Always looking for a new fix and never thinking about anyone but himself. Man, as a last resort go borrow money off mommy who hasn't seen you in years probably. This guy is low and it's perfect.

Refn's ability to reconstruct the violence, the slang and the situations of parts of Denmark are very realistic. Not saying that this is an everyday event, but the particular events at hand that pertain to the film. Geeze, even the good ol' shock treatment Frank received when not coming up with the money for Milo, was painful to watch. The atmosphere that he conveys with the bar and nightclubs scenes are very colourful and very three-dimensional. You can almost feel and smell the sweat, ciggies and booze to the point of intoxication.