Jackpot (2014)

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

A Norwegian Reservoir Dogs. Strong acting performances, it will have you gripped and guessing throughout - what more do you want? The cutting of the film helps the suspense, and actually really directs the way your mind works as you watch it. Yes, it is bloody, but then again Tarantino gets away with it. It is black comedy, it is a well thought-out script, lots of fine details, and the social commentary is not at all what you think it will be. Ignore the reviews as I am sure you normally do, and watch it. The atmosphere and scenes really suit the plot. Not one to watch with the girlfriend - this is a movie for the night in alone. If you have got as far as the review, you should definitely watch it to make your own opinion of it.

Based on a story by renowned crime writer Jo Nesbø, Jackpot stars Kyrre Hellum as Oscar, who awakes clutching a shotgun on the floor of a strip joint strewn with dead bodies and swarming with police officers. Taken for questioning by hard-nosed cop Solør (Henrik Mestad), Oscar recounts the unlikely events leading up to this point, starting with him winning a share of a 1.7m krone prize in a betting pool. But is Oscar telling the truth or spinning a wild yarn?This was a blind buy from Poundland, and while I wouldn't exactly say that I hit the jackpot with my gamble, I don't regret spending my hard-earned cash on the DVD (all £1 of it!). Director Magnus Martens handles the darkly humorous tale of crime, treachery and murder with confidence, his cast put in solid performances, and there is plenty of grisly violence to keep fans of gritty crime capers satisfied for the duration. Where the film falls down slightly is in its narrative, which, despite plenty of twists and turns, isn't quite as clever or as deranged as it is clearly intended to be—certainly not on a par with the absurdist work of The Coen Brothers, as the DVD cover states.6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.

Other reviewers have outlined the story quite well so I'll keep this short. This film is very entertaining and very funny. Of course that depends on what you find funny. Almost all the humour is so called black comedy. Some people might find the comedic scenes distasteful but they made me laugh out loud and that's because, although gory, they are somewhat cartoonish. The script is tight and flows nicely although the film could have been 15 - 20 minutes longer. The ending feels a little rushed and is not as satisfying as it could have been. These are small quibbles and overall I would heartily recommend the film both for the thriller and comedic aspects.

Headhunters has a lot to answer for. It was an exceptional thriller and one that I will definitely buy on DVD. On the other hand it was responsible for directing my steps to the theatre showing Jackpot, om the seemingly logical but ultimately foolish grounds that Norway was emerging as a new source of top-flight thrillers. In my dreams. This is a thriller that thinks it's a Black Comedy then decides it is a thriller after all and winds up being neither. For reasons best known to the author a non-criminal becomes the fourth man in a football pool syndicate and, charged with filling in the coupon to their instructions, changes one of the fixtures which results in 12 out of 12 correct forecasts and nets them a jackpot. Whilst he is out buying beer to celebrate two of the other three kill the third partner. The fourth man returns - the killing occurs in his apartment - and is more or less obliged to watch as the other two behead the corpse. Eventually - don't ask - they drive to a local strip club where one of the two assassins owes the owner a considerable sum. There follows a Mexican stand-off with no less than three guns pointing at various protagonists. Whilst this is going on a group of young men arrive in search of (their words) pussy and are blown away; the police arrive to find the non-criminal clutching a rifle, surrounded by stiffs and lying beneath an obese woman. From there it goes downhill. Don't say I didn't warn you.