Headhunters

Opening in Melbourne cinemas on Thursday, Norwegian thriller Headhunters was adapted from the best-selling novel by Jo Nesbø (also the author of The Snowman, currently set to be adapted by Martin Scorsese).

The film stars Aksel Hannie as Roger Brown, a very successful corporate headhunter who’s lavish lifestyle costs more than even his hefty salary can cover.  Worried that his gorgeous wife (Synnøve Macody Lund) will leave him if he can’t keep her in the lifestyle to which she’s become accustomed, Roger makes up his monetary shortfalls by stealing precious art on the side. But when he’s introduced by his wife to Clas Greve (Game of Thrones’ Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)—the perfect candidate for a CEO position he’s recruiting for and the owner of a very valuable and sought after painting—Roger gets himself in way over his head to chase the score of a lifetime.

An unexpected hit of last year’s festival circuit, Headhunters has already made significant waves in Hollywood.  Summit has snaffled up the remake rights and current rumours suggest Mark Wahlberg will be joining director Sacha Gervasi for the predictable tinsel-town treatment.

Though by no means groundbreaking, Headhunters is a slick and stylish thriller that sticks to the fundamentals of its genre to deliver an unexpectedly enjoyable film.  Performances are solid and though action-thriller clichés abound, everything is delivered with enough swagger and panache to make Headhuneters a wholeheartedly entertaining experience.

Headhunters opens nationally on Thursday 8 March.