Norwegian comedy DETECTIVE DOWNS, which was currently making headlines in the US, where it recently world premiered at Fantastic Fest, winning for Best Actor (Svein André Hofsø Myhre), and in the UK, where the film featured on BBC Global, has also taken its local audience by storm.
Coming in on a 2nd place at the Top 10 B.O. list with over 37.000 admissions during the first week and playing to sold out screenings and standing ovations, director Bård Breien´s warm and quirky comedy has proved a theatrical success in its homeland, but the success continues to travel abroad also, as the production company is currently in negotiations about remake rights.
Director Bård Breien debuted in 2007 with THE ART OF NEGATIVE THINKING, a dark comedy about disabilities. The film won multiple international awards, amongst these a Crystal Globe award for Best Director at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Shot solely in Czech Republic and visually inspired by the film noir genre, DETECTIVE DOWNS is produced by Asle Vatn from Friland Film, which latest project was the worldwide thriller-hit HEADHUNTERS (2011). A touching and entertaining story about solving a mystery in a cold, dark and hostile world.
DETECTIVE DOWNS is about Robert (Svein André Hofsø Myhre), who runs his own detective office, but he never gets any cases. No one believes Robert can accomplish anything and even his father, who is a police investigator, rejects Robert. One morning a mysterious woman appears in Robert´s office. The legendary speed skater Olav Starr is missing, and his family urgently needs an incompetent detective to pacify an affluent and senile grandmother. Robert is perfect for the job. Gradually Robert finds himself entangled in Olav's hidden life and it becomes clear that this assignment is not without danger. But when Robert reveals his special investigation method everyone´s in for a big surprise.
“What possesses a man like Bard Breien to write and direct a movie in the traditional Bogart noir style but with a protagonist whose world-weary cynicism has been swapped out for a chromosome abnormality? I don't know, but I'm glad he did, because this is one of the more pleasant surprises of the year, a film that works as a straightforward P.I. mystery as well as a tweak of the genre.”
Twitch
"Although the premise of the movie sounds rife with possibilities for mockery, quite the opposite is true. Robert is an admirable and endearing character, ensconced in a sweet, charming, and dare I say, uplifting movie."
The Austin Chronicle
"The film contains so many excellent element that is has to be recommend. Highly!"
VG
“DETECTIVE DOWNS pushes totally unknown buttons. It´s FUN!”
Stavanger Aftenblad.
“Some of the most refreshing Norwegian cinema seen for a long time”
Dagsavisen
"A refreshing, different film hero"
NRK 3