Jar City

Like most of the other Scandinavian crime movies, this one is also based on a bestselling novel, supplying rich and realistic details of a time and a place with a keen eye on social issues. This is a story about family and what binds people from generation to generation. At the center is (surprise!) a world-weary, middle-aged police inspector who has a hard crust on the outside but is actually a big softy inside. He lives alone and is divorced with a daughter. Every detective since Martin Beck is divorced with a daughter!

The movie is a part of American Film Institute (Silver Spring, Maryland) Scandinavian crime film series. More to come. In September they will again show RAID! the movie, which is a sequel to the unparalleled TV series.

The scenery in the film is harsh and chilling. There is rarely any sunshine and always windy, sometimes drifting icy rain. One also gets the sense that Iceland is a small country and people tend to know each other. 

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不出所料的，影片虽然画面和题材都相当沉重，但仍少不了冷飕飕墨墨黑的幽默。例如年轻时髦的警探跟老警探一起开长途车探监一个危险的嫌疑犯，老警探不断抽烟，小警探抱怨烟味儿请他掐了，老警探冷笑说，别娘娘腔了。两人在食堂吃饭，老警探吃煮羊头津津有味，小警探问有没有素食，连食堂大爷都讥笑他一通。老警探在受害者家里发现地板有异，叫人掀起一看，挖出一具腐烂多年的尸体，几个警察捂着鼻子落荒而逃；接下来的镜头必须是在别处监视嫌犯的小警探坐在车里大嚼 donuts。要不要这么犀利啊，笑死了。