Pusher Movie Review

Pusher (1996)

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Written by: Jens Dahl, Nicolas Winding Refn    
Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Mads Mikkelson,  Kim Bodnia, Zlatko Buric, Laura Drasbæk
Rated: NR [R]
Watch the trailer

Plot
A drug pusher grows increasingly desperate after a botched deal leaves him with a large debt to a ruthless drug lord.

Verdict
It feels authentic with the filming style. This looks more like a documentary than a movie.  Dangerous occupations beget dangerous consequences. This isn't a line of work where 'I don't have it.' plays. Most of this movie is Frank exhausting his chances as he struggles to stay afloat. His confidence that he can fix his situation slowly erodes throughout the movie. That also plays to the realistic nature of the movie. This doesn't make dealing look that enticing. Being Winding Refn's first film, it's fun to see where he started. His style isn't quite as developed as later movies, but you can see the foundation.
Watch it.

Review
This is Mads Mikkelson's screen and Nicholas Winding Refn's directing debut. Winding Refn's films have always been stylish. This sets a precedent that he's followed with Valhalla Rising, Drive, and The Neon Demon. Valhalla Rising was the first movie review I wrote. I had never seen a movie quite like it and was compelled to write about it.

Set in Denmark, this is considered the first Danish gangster movie. It launched Winding Refn and several actor's careers. 

From this start this has a stylish introduction for the main characters. From there this is more of a documentary with a handheld camera and grainy film. Most of the shots are close and in the actors faces.

Mads Mikkelson, Kim Bodnia play Frank, Tonny

Frank (Kim Bodnia) and Tonny (Mads Mikkelsen) deal during the day and party at night. They aren't Tony Montana rich, but while they're comfortable this doesn't make the life seem glamorous. Tonny is the more obnoxious of the two, in speech and dress. He seems like he's compensating though the movie doesn't get into it. Frank is quiet. A lot of this is a day in the life. The two of them do a lot of nothing waiting for deals.

An old associate of Frank's appears and wants a large quantity of drugs. Frank is hesitant but eventually relents. You get the feeling someone appearing out of the blue is a bad omen. You think that if Frank's made it this long and far maybe he knows what he is doing. On the day of the deal, Frank ups the price and the buyer seems just a bit too quick to agree. We don't know if Frank was set up, but it seems like it. Frank ends up with no money and no drugs. This isn't a business where you can tell your supplier you lost the drugs. The supplier doesn't buy Frank's story, and now Frank needs money fast or face the consequences.

Kim Bodnia plays Frank

The problem is that Frank doesn't have a clientele apt to pay, and he's going after people that are already delinquent on payment. He's delaying the inevitable, and it doesn't seem like he's going to find a solution. his supplier gives him just enough rope to hang himself with. The thing that Frank doesn't think about is that it's likely his supplier wouldn't have let him slide with anything less than the full amount. I'd guess the supplier would have gone after Frank regardless, hoping maybe he's get some amount of money out of it.

If you're having a bad day, Frank may just be having a worse one. He's having trouble making any deals and getting desperate. It seems like there's only one way this will end.