The murder mystery genre has been around for decades, but with the introduction of social media and online forums like 4Chan’s /b/ board in 2001, the game was changed forever. In this article I will be reviewing three popular murder mysteries from 2017 that have a twist on the classic whodunnit format.
The “Anxious People” is a mini-series that takes place in the fictional city of Asbury Park, New Jersey. The show follows the murder mystery of who killed Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby’s wife. Read more in detail here: anxious people review.
Fans of popular Swedish novelist Fredrick Backman will have something to look forward to in the New Year, as Netflix will begin streaming a new series based on one of his interesting books, dubbed ‘Anxious People,’ on December 29.
Leif Andree, Marik Lager Crantz, Lottie Ejebrant, Per Andersson, Anna Grant, and Elina Du Rietz feature in this dramedy.
The new program is a six-episode miniseries based on Backman’s book of the same name.
‘Anxious People’ isn’t the first of the Swedish native’s works to be adapted for the cinema, as two other books, ‘A Man Called Ove’ and ‘Beartown,’ have previously received critical praise and premiered to critical acclaim.
The former even received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, so the stakes for this one are fairly high.
When it comes to weaving events and incidents into a compelling story, Backman is a master. This newest piece is no exception, as it celebrates the unexpected bonds that people form, all while maintaining a darkly comedic tone.
The show’s fascinating fundamental topic is based on a true story about a very stressful and time-consuming day spent by a group of eight individuals looking for an apartment.
A masked criminal fleeing the police after a failed attempt to steal a cashless bank for an unusually precise sum of money finds sanctuary in an open house where these prospective home buyers are busy checking it out while they are busy examining one particular property.
Without saying anything, the novice criminal maintains a somewhat peaceful hostage situation, allowing the hostages to make themselves at home to the point that they are even permitted to prepare lunch before the invader releases them.
When the officers enter the residence, however, the attacker seems to have vanished into thin air, and the interrogation starts.
Attempts to get information from the captives about the fugitive’s location are useless, as the witnesses seem befuddled or unwilling to provide any information about the perpetrator.
Felix Herngren, the director of ‘Bonus Family,’ directed this film from a scenario written by Calila Ahlgren.
The two creators painstakingly pull the tale together by using a method in which each witness offers their own version of events, which is often contradictory and inconsistent, resulting in confusion and a lack of evidence for prosecution.
Each half-hour episode is seen through the eyes of each and every victim, all of whom have their own dark secrets neatly stashed away.
There’s the married couple that seems to be miserable in their marriage, and they constantly jumping from home to house to fill the void left by a lack of passion between them.
A lesbian couple is also looking for a bigger and larger home for their expanding family, since one of them is heavily pregnant with their first kid.
Then there’s the bank manager, who is more enthralled by the paintings on the apartment walls than by the building itself.
‘Anxious People’ highlights how people are more willing to reveal their deepest secrets to total strangers since they are less likely to be criticized than if they talked to someone in their group.
Several improbable friendships emerge from nowhere near the conclusion of the experience, demonstrating how close and sympathetic human beings are to one another despite the horrors to which they have been used.
These individual experiences are nonetheless more fascinating and compelling than the issue of who committed the crime, why they did it, and how they did it, thanks to the way the story is unpacked.
This comedy-drama masterfully captures the concerns that arise from everyday encounters and struggles much better than the crime’s machinations.
When Jim, portrayed by Dan Ekborg, and Jack, played by Alfred Svensson, a father-son detective combination, are charged with the vital responsibility of negotiating for the hostages’ safety, the factor of nepotism comes to the fore as well.
The son is desperate to prove to the world that he deserves the job and isn’t getting it because of his father, while the father is more concerned with his drug-addicted daughter’s antics.
All of these events, as they struggle to balance work and family life, produce a lot of tension, which serves to move the story along. ‘Anxious People’ delves more into a sad death observed by a young Jim, leaving him with lingering trauma that continues to torment him in adulthood.
The negative consequences of the financial crisis, which left one of the protagonists homeless and forced him to live in a storage closet, are also explored.
Then there’s the issue of how grieving may make a person seem like they’re always relocating. All of these concepts are masterfully intertwined, and as one progresses through the series, it becomes clear that everything is linked.
The intricate narratives are simplified for the audience by inserting several comedic relief incidents throughout the program.
Per Andersson as Lennart, a jobbing actor recruited to assist market the properties, provides the most of the rib-tickling moments. He attracts attention by impersonating all forms and behaviors of attention-getting personalities while costumed as a rabbit.
Backman’s prior work pales in comparison. The warmth of ‘A Man Called Cove’ and the emotional intensity of ‘Beartown’ are missing from ‘Anxious People.’
The script is brilliantly written, the concept is incredibly relatable, the cinematography is gripping, the editing is nicely done, the performances are fantastic, and the music elevates the film significantly.
Despite the fact that the program is in Swedish, subtitles are provided for those who do not understand the language, ensuring that the message reaches the intended recipient and that spectators still get the jokes.
For all of the reasons stated above, it’s a terrific program to watch while waiting for the New Year.
6.5/10 SCORE
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“Anxious People” is a mini-series that follows the murder of an actress, and the subsequent investigation. The show is not without its flaws, but it’s a good mystery to watch. Reference: anxious people summary.
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