The Quiet Ones
Directed by Frederik Louis Hviid
Written by Anders Frithiof August
Starring Gustav Giese, Reda Kateb, & Amanda Collin
Unrated
Runtime: 1 hour and 50 minutes
In theaters and on demand February 21

by Stacey Osbeck, Staff Writer

Films involving boxers always draw forth that visceral survival instinct. There’s no room for a cubicle-coasting mentality of ‘things aren’t great, but I’m doing ok.’ In the ring, you win or you lose. In Frederik Louis Hviid’s Danish heist thriller, The Quiet Ones, Kasper (Gustav Giese), a boxer, looks forward to the chance at some worthwhile action. He appears strong and fit, but something about his demeanor hints he doesn’t have it in him. After failing in what was supposed to be an easy match, the anticipated fights to follow evaporated.

Here, The Quiet Ones’ use of visual narrative comes into play. No one specifically mentions Kasper lost. Instead, after the fight when his young daughter tries to wake him, a jerk of the head reveals his pillow saturated in blood. Later still, when he’s long run out of options, Kasper pounds a punching bag until a leak forms. Sand pours to the floor in a small stream, reminiscent of an hourglass, without the ability to flip it and start over. Time is just running out.

As fate would have it, Kasper connects with a duo seeking a third man for a lucrative robbery. Cash. Nothing to fence. Just get in and get out. The leader, Slimani (Reda Kateb), makes abundantly clear they have to move soon. However, Kasper asks for time to scope out the area and security cameras. In this delay, a similar job gets pulled off at a different location, putting all cash depots on high alert. Again, another opportunity comes his way and Kasper doesn’t quite have it in him.

The other men rightfully blame him for missing the chance of a lifetime. Now for once, Kasper’s sick of being a loser. With his life falling apart he concocts a plan so broad, so bold that it just might work. Based on true events that took place in 2008, this picture follows the largest heist in Danish history.

The Quiet Ones’ strength lies in its visual storytelling, from the script to the cinematography. D.P. Adam Wallensten takes banal locations like abandoned structures and a warehouse at night and through framing and selective lighting infuses an atmosphere of intrigue.

Two things felt like sand in my shoe though. The level of security at the cash intake center sits on par with what you’d expect at an old mall. Not the cool shopping center with the stylish brands, but the one where you go to get your keys cut. The crew repositions one camera and has no trouble climbing on the roof and then in. It’s like the whole cash depot is just run on the honor system. Also the lack of chutzpah from the police plays flat. Especially in contrast to Kasper finally digging deep to find that boxer’s do-or-die instinct. Storywise, he deserves a worthy opponent and finds one in Maria (Amanda Collin), a blonde lone wolf security guard who rises to the occasion. When we first meet her, she’s interviewing to join the police, but they find her too intense. Instead of trying to tamp her down, the force should adopt her level of fearlessness as the high watermark and all up their game. She’s truly the ‘there’s no small parts, only small actors’ character in the picture. I’d watch a whole movie focused on her. I’m assuming because it was based on true events, in some regards, the writer’s hands were tied.

Either way the film was a good time. If you’ve grown weary of over the top international art thieves or heists set in Vegas, some atmospheric Nordic suspense may be just the palate cleanser you need.

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