Mediocre Movie Club Movie Reviews

Headhunters

11/24/2015

B+
3.30

An accomplished headhunter risks everything to obtain a valuable painting owned by a former mercenary.

Directed by Morten Tyldum

Initial Review by Phil Crone

Seeing “Ant-Man” last summer reminded me how much I love a good heist movie. The meticulous planning, the big score, the “everything fell perfectly into place” aspect… I love it all. When researching other great Heist movies, “Headhunters” continuously popped up, so I had to give it a shot. Headhunters does an excellent job of hitting all the marks of a good heist movie while also adding a deeper spin on the motivations of its protagonist.

Headhunters is definitely not your standard heist movie, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Roger has several of the markings you see generally of the “master thief.” He’s suave and calculating, somewhat reminiscent of Danny Ocean. However, Roger’s motivation is quite different from most protagonists in heist movies. Roger is trying to maintain a lifestyle that he doesn’t even like. He’s doing all of this to keep his wife, Diana, happy. He feels desperate that he must do this to keep her happy, as he doesn’t think he deserves her. It’s an interesting story to wrap in here, and one not typically seen in a movie like this. The coming together of Diana and Roger does not seem forced or contrived ultimately. Seeing Roger’s ordeal gives Diana a chance to understand just how much he does go through for her. As a plot device, it works well.

A good heist movie also needs a good villain. Enter Clas, played by Jamie Lannister (99% sure that’s his real name). Clas is a bit of an unbelievable “Bond villain” character, being a shrewd business man, a merciless trained killer, and a lothario all rolled into one. His character felt like it should have been two people. That said, he makes for a good villain who knows Roger better than himself. This becomes an interesting heist movie because all of the meticulous planning was actually done by the villain. Clas’s heist is the company Roger is hiring for, and Clas plants everything perfectly to get himself the job. I have to admit that it seemed almost too much overkill. Clas doesn’t just want the job; he wants to completely destroy Roger as well, as Roger is the only one who really stands in the way of Clas executing his plan. I assume this was just a failsafe in case Clas could not convince Roger in the interview process, which he correctly deduced would be the case.

Regardless of motivations, it sets off an exciting plot with actions and reactions the results of characters, not events. This was something that I recall Kissel liking about Mad Max Fury Road, and we see it here as well. Clas’s arrival and Roger’s desperation ultimately set the wheels into motion, and everything that happens is the result of either of them causing the event to occur.
It all inevitably leads to the big showdown in Ove’s house (trailer?). It’s a solid sequence that pulls every little random piece from the movie together into one satisfying conclusion. Roger’s relationship with Lotte, Lotte’s betrayal, Diana’s relationship with Clas and ultimate reconciliation with Roger, Ove’s gun & amateur film making, and the deaths of every other character up to this point are brought together and ultimately pinned squarely on Clas, the instigator of this entire situation to begin with. It’s a sequence that shows Roger’s ingenuity and harkens back to Roger’s initial warning of it all ending with either one big score or getting caught. Typical heist movies end with it all coming together in the big score; Headhunters ends with it all coming together in the other aspect of not getting caught.

Headhunters is a different and well-executed take on the Heist genre. Roger is one of the more interesting protagonists in a movie like this, and while a bit unbelievable as a person who could ever exist, Clas makes for a solid villain. It’s a solid action movie with a good message in the end of recognizing the importance of knowing what makes your partner happy in a relationship.

+ Interesting take on the heist genre
+ Roger & Clas are well-matched
+ Final sequence is well-done and satisfying conclusion
- Clas is just an unbelievable character
- Not mentioned in the review, but Lotte seems wildly stupid
Grade: A-

29 Comments

Mindy

11/24/2015 02:29:35 pm

Is this on of your stupid movie club thingys...

that was pretty good actually...

B+

Phil

11/24/2015 05:59:55 pm

Kissel - Please add this to the Review of the Year list for the 2016 Mediocrities. Thanks Buddy!

Jon

11/24/2015 06:41:29 pm

You've got the process down, but the spirit seems off.

Lane

11/24/2015 03:10:30 pm

In the Southern vernacular, this is what would be termed a “hot damn” movie. Because just when you think you know what’s happening; when you think you’ve figured out the kind of movie this is, all of sudden it’s, “HOT DAMN!” and everything changes.

From the credits until Ove’s untimely demise, I thought this was a standard art heist caper film. Which I was perfectly fine with – I love most heist-caper films. But then… “hot damn” this thing went to a very dark, very intense place and started exploring themes that other heist-caper films could never mine.

What I loved was that in each moment of chase – from the out-house scene to the car-falling-off-the-cliff scene, the focus wasn’t just on the suspense and getaway; each scene was a form of degradation. There’s no joy in the escape. What we’re watching isn’t a man trying to save his life, it’s a man losing his manhood.

The scene that really did it for me was Roger, stealing the face-less cop’s clothes and shaving his head, weeping for his full and utter downfall. From Samson and Delilah to Athena turning Medusa’s hair to snakes, a person’s hair has always been associated with their glory, vanity, and power. When Roger realizes it is his luscious locks that have been causing him this terror from the outset, he realizes his betrayal is complete. He knows that what has caused his downfall isn’t thievery or adultery – it’s pride. A film that started out as a standard heist film turns into a reflection on the nature of manliness and a critique of a vain culture of corporate power.

My criticism is that in the film’s shifting moods and focus, the direction felt a bit uneven. It felt like Tyldum was trying to channel Scorcese, Richie, Fincher, and maybe a few European directors I’ve never heard of all in the same film. This led the film to go from heist-caper, to manhunt-chase, finally to corporate espionage film all within an hour and a half. It might have been just a little too much.

Overall, this film was a pretty great start to a new round.

Liked
- great plot
- descents into madness
- Bi-lingual Jamie Lannister
- dogs and tractors

Disliked
- uneven direction
- they talked too fast for subtitles

Grade: A-

Sean

11/24/2015 03:51:49 pm

That was a good one.

Everybody loves a good heist movie. The attention to detail and meticulous planning are fun things to observe, and almost all of them include a twist that we didn't necessarily see coming. Even when predictable they feel clever.

What stands out about Headhunters is the extra mile they went to be original in the heist genre. Between exploring his motives for living a lifestyle worthy of his super hot wife and showing the details behind both choosing a mark and pulling off the heist through his connection with Ove at the security company. Additionally they mention how he is living heist to heist and still broke despite having a decent job and being a talented criminal through the fence keeping 50% Ove keeping a share etc. The amazing thing is they are able to get through all of that so quickly during the background scenes so early in the movie before the main plot gets in motion. I love it when a movie can provide the background details in an entertaining fashion without beating you over the head with them so we can get moving without being confused.

Is the KingSlayer maybe a little bit too Terminatory? Probably, but I don't care. I'm going to chalk some of that to being Roger's perception of Clas' superiority to himself. Was Lotte's role strange-meaning why would Roger risk losing Dianna over her when that's his whole motivation for his criminal activity? Yea she was but when you think of it from the perspective that Roger is so wrapped up in knowing Dianna is out of his league that mentally banging some in league trash on the side makes sense for him. Where was Clas while the dog attacked Roger? Did he say hey sparky let's split up you check the barn I'm gonna go steal an 18 wheeler just in case I need it later? Who cares we got to see a doggie tractor. Was it at all believable that Roger could shit snorkle without vomiting away his position or be the best stare contest player ever after falling off a cliff? Probably not but I didn't care about that either. Not everything has to be super believable as long as you are pulling it off in an entertaining way and if the kid from Slumdog can go shit diving why can't Roger snorkle.

Somebody mark Ove down as Best Supporting Actor, the scene where he explains the video for his friends at the office, they see her strip and a bit of fingering but thats it and I get something to watch when shes gone and waffling over the 100 million dollars because it interrupts Natosha sexy time is good stuff.

Best Scene from an acting and emotional perspective to bring things together is when Roger tells Diana his fear, mark that down too.

The twist, did anybody see that coming that all of a sudden the Kingslayer not only dies but gets framed. Awesome. Then for just a bit of icing on the cake they bookend the movie by Roger reintroducing Lander for the open position.

At the end of the day, things can be a little unrealistic and still equate to an A+ movie in this viewers book

A+

11/26/2015 12:09:15 am

I wish the earlier, pre-Clas scenes had shown Roger doing some improvisation on a heist, so the viewer could have a better understanding of how good Roger is on the fly. The poop snorkel is a stroke of genius, and the level of self-control required to stare at Clas is unfathomable, but both do seem to come out of nowhere.

Bryan

11/24/2015 09:29:17 pm

You all use so many words. Headhunters had all the makings of a good heist movie, there was suspense and plot twists. I didn't see the phone call inside the apartment coming, and the art aspect was well done.

When the main character goes to the hospital I was at A- . But after that I thought everything got a little too tidy. I know it's the hesity thing to do, but the reveal was pretty lame especially the end. B-, I'd never watch this again and would waffle over recommending it.

11/25/2015 11:30:07 am

"I know it's the heisty thing to do..."

Exactly. It's a concession of the genre that makes it enjoyable. It is a bit of "I'd rather be than lucky than good" as opposed to Ocean's 11 though.

11/28/2015 07:38:15 pm

Wait. Oceans 11 setup the tricks from the beginning. This summarized them in 20 seconds, almost to the point of implausible given what we knew about the character.

Drew

11/25/2015 09:37:15 pm

What is the difference between this and The Italian Job? Ocean's 11?

Headhunters told a decent story. The plot was interesting and engaging but Clas went over the top with his vengeance. He really wanted that job. Sure, it was part of his master plan but the way he used people closest to Roger was flat out silly. If the conspiracy had a more believable cornerstone than what was presented, it would be a better film.

Headhunters was action packed and entertaining but too much of it ruined the story. The guy who was short and ugly won in the end. Lame.

Grade: B

11/26/2015 12:05:54 am

A few months ago, I watched two French coming-of-age films back to back, more or less. This kind of story, of articulate teenagers staring at their belly buttons and attempting to figure out what their lives are going to be like, is the default expectation any time an American fires up a European film. There are subtle differences between regions, like Italian films are expected to be lively, French films are going to be philosophical and literary, and Scandinavian films are going to be dark and introspective, but it all comes back to two people in a room, wrestling with abstract emotion. Every so often, a European movie breaks the expected mold and does something more crowd-pleasing. From the land whose greatest movie might be a man playing chess with Death comes an inventive heist story which still finds room for the self-examination that Nordic people apparently love to do.

Headhunters gets major points for not simply having a bland lead whose major trait is being good at his job. Roger is plagued by self-loathing and overcompensation first, which is likely what led him into art thievery. Phil makes a good reference to, uh, myself, with my line about character informing action instead of events. As a deeply flawed and blinkered individual, Roger is believable in most of his choices. I’ll second Lane’s call-out of the pathos bleeding from the edges of the screen as he shaves his head, a great combination of character, framing, and detail that is the best part of the film. His insecurity has built his life’s impressive, but untenable, station and a complete rejection of the ingredients of that life is what will keep it going.

Where Roger, and the film in general, starts to lose me, is when the plot unnecessarily changes direction. The story of a self-loathing art thief stealing from the wrong person is one that can easily sustain an entire film. The addition of Clas’s long con and the job being what matters and the thievery being completely unnecessary invalidates a big chunk of the film. Get rid of the theft or get rid of the job. Having both rattles the film’s focus. Why can’t Clas just be after the painting? It would make him a much more sympathetic character if he was trying to recover his birthright. The extra wrinkle adds nothing but length.

I’m also hesitant to endorse a film that is so completely on Roger’s side. The movie understands his flaws, but then goes out of its way to forgive him. It’s ludicrous that his wife stays with him. He has cheated on her for months and lied to her for years. Roger admittedly goes through a lot, but the movie is much more powerful if Diana can assert herself at the end. She makes a minimal impression in the first place, but the film revolves around her decision. Save Roger’s life by switching the bullets, sure, but I did not buy for one second that they would be together at the end. I felt the same way about the end of Breaking Bad, where that series allowed Walt to have a major victory that I didn’t feel was earned. The happy ending did not mesh with what came before.

While I have problems with the larger structure, individual sequences stand out as successful. Everything from the moment the police car stops on the road to a bald Roger stumbling away works fantastically, and the dog fight has admirable follow-through where others might want to contrive their way out of anything resembling animal cruelty. Hennie’s very good in the lead, Ove is played well as a slimeball with terrible aim, and Coster-Waldau can effectively do the single-minded terminator trope. I was skeptical of director Morten Tyldum going in, after watching his thoroughly average Imitation Game, but this is a more impressive outing than that piece of juicy Oscar bait. The jaunty, jazzy end credits score forgets that Headhunters quit being a heist movie about 30 minutes in, but this is an impressive movie that has some big third act problems. Not a mortal sin, but one that keeps it in the B’s at a B-

11/26/2015 11:21:04 am

Love, love, love this review.

Great summary, "The addition of Clas’s long con and the job being what matters and the thievery being completely unnecessary invalidates a big chunk of the film. Get rid of the theft or get rid of the job. Having both rattles the film’s focus. Why can’t Clas just be after the painting? It would make him a much more sympathetic character if he was trying to recover his birthright."

Bobby

11/29/2015 03:25:07 pm

Didn't you absolutely love Imitation Game? How can you love a review that refers to it as 'thoroughly average' then!? :-p

11/29/2015 04:14:51 pm

I think I'm at B for Imitation Game, but B+ because I like the topic.

Shane

11/30/2015 03:20:37 pm

You're applying our American sexual morality to that of one of the most liberal countries in the world Infidelity is not the same in Europe (or pretty much any where else in the world).

11/30/2015 03:50:42 pm

Sure, but it's the main character's greatest fear, so regardless of the culture, it matters very much to him. For him to be so worried about his wife cheating on him and then to cheat on her in turn is pretty despicable.

11/30/2015 04:53:32 pm

His greatest fear is losing her, not her infidelity. He couldn't bring himself to even remotely leave her despite being upset. He cheats because he know he won't get caught, because if he gets caught, he knows it could be curtains. He's afraid because he might have lost her already.

11/30/2015 05:04:09 pm

I'd say this is a great discussion if it were not for the absurd montage at the end implying everything was set up.

11/30/2015 05:55:47 pm

He is introduced in the film as a man living beyond his means to please/retain his wife, while also being in the midst of a months-long affair, which he ends not out of guilt, but out of fear that his mistress is exceeding boundaries that only exist in his head. The only way for me to square those two contradictions is to dismiss Roger as a hypocrite and a foundationally weak person who does not earn his redemption.

12/1/2015 09:49:12 am

Right. Because reputation isn't necessarily the truth. Reputation is just nonsense.

12/1/2015 09:50:41 am

I'm only taking issue with you assuming infidelity would sink the marriage so quickly. As an American in Puritan Country, you're right. But sexual attitudes are just different in Norway, ya?

12/1/2015 04:11:49 pm

Yes, those squarehead antecedents in Norway probably don't treat adultery as the killing blow that it's assumed to be in America. However, the movie does. Why else would Roger be so cautious about Lotte?

12/7/2015 01:45:09 pm

An unhappy wife sucks even if she's not going to automatically divorce him.

11/28/2015 05:51:29 pm

I don't feel like typing much, but I since I watched it... I figured I should get credit for doing so, and throw my grade at it.

Did like, B+

11/28/2015 07:38:48 pm

One thing you did like? One thing you didn't?

11/29/2015 01:20:54 pm

I already have to vote in the damn polls, I didn't know I'd have to answer questions, too!

I liked the pace of the movie, it felt good for a heist like flick.

I didn't like the truck/car crash. I wanted Roger to survive because he was determined and smart enough to do so... not because of dumb luck in a crash that he just happens to be the one who conveniently survive. I thought the movie was going to avoid such an event.

11/28/2015 10:57:52 pm

You know you've been too vague when Bryan is asking for more details.

11/30/2015 04:50:06 pm

Norwegian films seem very serious. Are there Norwegian comedies? Is that a thing that can happen? Can a group of people that is so good looking even have the lack of self-esteem required to be funny? I suppose Let the Right One In had some funny moments, but not too many. Either way, I'm OK with that because I prefer my movies serious and dark. Headhunters delivers on both of those requirements, though it ultimately makes the viewer take some leaps that are a bit much.

Norwegia Steve Buscemi plays the confident guy well as Roger, but also shows us some subtle looks of discomfort when no one is looking. It's a role that could be one-dimensional, like Brad Pitt's affable Rusty in Ocean's 11. However, there is enough depth there that even without his narration, we can tell Roger is a man of doubt. I agree with Lane that the scene of him shaving his hair and dignity is fantastic. Perhaps this nagging doubt is why his worldview is completely stained by Reputation.

Reputation is one virtue that can have absolutely nothing to do with a person's abilities, skills and accomplishments. Reputation can be entirely shallow and built on false foundations which eventually crumble. I guess this is why this movie bothered me so much because Roger faces no actual consequences for his own dogmatic adherence to Reputation. He uses it against everyone else and they all suffer or are torn down. But in the end, he still has everything he wants. I don't care that he wasn't punished for his infidelity (Europe is pretty freaky, Bowie). His only punishment is the (admittedly awful) ordeal he goes through. As bad as that was, it was clever the way Reputation was used against everyone else in the movie, including the downfall of Clas.

The other critique is that belief was suspended a bit much. I wasn't buying he's the only one surviving that fall, for example. Also, the knife to the back should have gone way further in and been debilitating. Or the one shot to the chest kills Lotte instantly. Moments like that took me out of the movie briefly.

Despite those negatives, this movie mostly makes up for them in the intensity in showing some truly awful things. We see an impaled dog that is almost comically driven on a tractor. And him hold the knife is entirely painful and plays on everyone's fear of garnering a wound while chopping garlic at dinner time. And good lord, the pool of shit scene is brutal. Surprisingly ingenious, but so well done and disturbing that it doesn't seem out of place.

Other notes:
Jamie Lannister does fine in the role of confident, handsome and physically imposing.
Norwegian Michael Jeter shines as Ove as well.
Was the guy from the cabin the same guy n the cabin in breaking bad?

B

Cooker

1/25/2016 03:33:10 pm

Keeping this short since this conversation was so 2015.

How plausible all the stuff that happened is easily questionable, but it made for a fun thriller. I thought dark-haired Jamie Lannister looked like Sawyer from Lost. You think it’s a simple case of stealing a painting and it evolved into much more. Who can you trust? Who knows what? Fun times. And how about hiding in all that shit? I also enjoyed seeing a hint of the underground art crime scene, how to replace a painting with a forgery and what not. Maybe if I’m bored later in life. B+

Headhunters

B+
3.30

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Headhunters

B+3.30

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B+
3.30