Pusher (1996)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Frank	Kim Bodnia
Milo	Zlatko Buric	½
Vic	Laura Drasbæk
Radovan	Slavko Labovic
Tonny	Mads Mikkelsen
Hasse	Peter Andersson	-
Drug Addict	Thomas Bo Larsen

Review

This is a powerful, violent and unpolished portrayal of life on the streets of Copenhagen, filmed with low-end equipment and edited with a rushed, bumpy style which makes you feel you're right there in this mire with these guys. Whether this is a wholly conscious choice or partly because of the low budget, I don't know. But there's little doubt that Pusher has extensive knowledge about the world it smuggles us into. And writer/director Nicolas Winding Refn has a clear voice; he wants to tell us something, but never preach. In this respect, Pusher has similarities with Larry Clark's Kids. Both movies have a partly documentarian feel, and both portray life on the streets with a combination of adamancy and warmth. The talented Kim Bodnia (who showed what he could do as Jens in Ole Bornedal's Nattevagten) plays the title role with skill. It's a tough and challenging part, as we follow Frank through a week-long downward spiral in a world where trust is hard to achieve, but easy to break down. There's also fine supporting work from Mads Mikkelsen as Bodnia's partner in crime.