Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres and digital from director Frederik Louis Hviid and Magnet Releasing is the biggest heist on Danish soil pulled off by THE QUIET ONES.

Kasper (Gustav Giese) is constantly boxing training but doesn’t seem to be rising up in his sport. Taking care of wife Aaliya (Camilla Lau) and young daughter Sara (Dagmar Halse), he has to find a way to earn. Realizing that his dream is being buried by his losses, Kasper enlists Slimani (Reda Kateb) with an idea for a robbery. Putting together a team they can trust causes immediate problems since one of their partners, Hasse (Christopher Wagelin) doesn’t care for Kasper.

Maria (Amanda Collin) is a security guard that is looking for her own success. Responsible for her family, she stays on top of what she needs to do to get the job done. Once Slimani and Kasper work out the details of the robbery, each step is meticulously planned and prepared for. They also enlist the help of Joppe (Jens Hulten), Mo (Granit Rushiti) and Warsame (Amin Ahmed) to get the job done.

When the time comes, Kasper gears up with the others knowing they only have minutes to grab and go. Even the perfect crime isn’t so perfect when things begin to slowly fall apart but the group has a contingency plan for that as well. What they don’t expect is to see Maria and a spit decision might be the downfall of them all!

Giese as Kasper portrays a boxer who just can’t seem to find his punch. Not a loud or abrasive person, he gives us the most unlikely criminal. As he brings a plan to Slimani, we see that Kasper has thought out the robbery clearly. Giese gives us a character that is desperate to take care of his family but clearly doesn’t fit the killer mentality that his cohorts do.

Kateb as Slimani is just vicious in the way he looks, talks, and behaves. He has no problem taking out anyone who gets in his way, including Kasper. He is clear that his goal is to rule everything and get his hands on the money. Kateb is excellent in this role that is quite the opposite of Kasper. He gives us dark and dangerous down to the depths of Slimani’s dark heart.

Wagelin as Hasse is just a large man with an even larger attitude. He is going to do what he wants when he wants and god help anyone who stands in his way. Wagelin has the right amount of swager to bring his character a fearlessness necessary to be in the middle of Kasper and Slimani.

Collin as Maria is actually a very underdeveloped character. I have to say I was geared up to see her be more a part of the film so I think this was a missed opportunity. That being said, Collin is clearly a woman trying to show what she can do where her job is concerned and, when the time came, showed no fear and a stubbornness I respected absolutely.

Other cast include Ida Rasmussen as Pumpkin, Mohammed Abbas as Mohammed, Sandra Stojiljkovic as Elin, Victor Ivan as Josef, Anders Hove as Olaf and Anastasios Soulis as Juventus.

Magnet Releasing is a part of Magnolia Pictures that specializes in films from the vanguard of horror, action, comedy, and Asian cinema. It is also the home of classics like Tomas Alfredson’s LET THE RIGHT ON IN, Ti West’s THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, Andre Ovredal’s TROLLHUNTER, Neil Marshall’s sword and sandals bloodbath CENTURION and Tony Jaa’s ONG BAK trilogy. Recent released include the terrifying anthologies V/H/S and V/H/S/2, Xan Cassavettes’ stylish vampire film KISS OF THE DAMNED, and the sci-fi thriller THE LAST DAYS ON MARS. Upcoming films include Ti West’s THE SACRAMENT and to find out more of what is to come please visit www.magnetreleasingfilms.com.

Director Hviid says of the film, “THE QUIET ONES is about the pursuit: the pursuit of money. The pursuit of a dream. The pursuit of respect and a place in life. This pursuit is essential. Whether you follow the young bank robber with a promising talent for boxing, the Moroccan man who pulled all the strings behind a veil of lies and deceit, or the security guard who trusted in her instincts and ended up uncovering and bringing down a group of international criminals. The pursuit of something greater was shared by them all”.

He ends with, “we will witness a piece of criminal history. My ambition is to place the audience in the middle of the chaos and bring them into our group of hardened criminals.” Well, that is exactly what Hviid does. We are to pick apart each of their reasons for what they do, not excusing their acts, but focusing on the reasons for their criminal act and making it the biggest in Danish history.

It is a slow-paced film that took the characters planning step by step. There was no need for a backstory for the other robbers because their presence was enough that no one in their right mind would ask questions. It is Giese’ Kasper that is out of place in the group yet it doesn’t stop him from inserting himself in the plan and carrying it out. It is after the robbery that things get dicey and a little bit like 1991’s GOOD FELLAS. Once the crime begins, so does the action and the result of what the men have done.

In the end – it was the largest heist in Danish history!

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