Potent Linn Skåber, a little too lax film – Side2

Wendy effect

Norway 2015

Director: Ole Endresen

With: Linn Skåber, Morten Ramm, Christian Skolmen, Jon Øigarden, Kristofer Hivju, Nils Jørgen Kaalstad, Bjarte Tjøstheim, Kåre Conradi, Hege Schøyen, Mariann Hole, Nicolaj Kopernikus

Age: 12 years

Almost to the day one year after “The search for Berlusconi” had its premiere, the director Ole Endresen ready with a new, akin comedy – which admittedly is not a sequel, although part of the same characters appear in both films.

As a sort of hub for action this time we find the new character Wendy (Linn Skåber), a luxury prostitute on Bøler that seems to have a tremendous effect on the man with little progressive wording calls the strong sex. The film postulates way that district she is operating is a kind of closed, economic system, which does not always conform to the law book. But when a tablet full of sensitive information about this system go astray through an incredible accounting server (Nils Jørgen Kaalstad), the balance is about to disturbed – to such a degree that it could be talking about a stool.

In the investigation field thus comes the eager and conscientious Økokrim-officer Svenn Krøvel (Morten Ramm), who teams up with the conversation happy and not so regelridende NCIS investigator Sylfest Dreyer (Christian Skolmen), in a non completely atypical case of mismatched detektivpar.

In “Wendy effect», director Ole Endresen again assembled a team of Norwegian comedians and actors in an ensemble film that combines joke with excitement – at least to some extent. In addition to the aforementioned Ramm, dolls also Jon Øigarden spitfire Nico and the Finnish torpedo dove from “Berlusconi” up again, but also familiar faces like Kristofer Hivju, Hege Schøyen, Bjarte Tjøstheim and Mariann Hole is is to see in newly written roles.

Again we thus dealing with an entanglement comedy centered around a detective plot, which has also been tried in Norwegian in the two “Empty barrels” films and “french toast”. This is no simple hybrid exercise, when humor can easily kill thriller elements and vice versa. But then one has then not yet received this properly here at home, “Wendy effect” included.

The film has indeed a certain charm and some fun characters. Both Ramm and Skolmen is enjoyable enough, and Skåber makes a good figure in the lead role. But here is also much untapped potential, for example, could the criminal mother and son-relationship between Hivju and Schøyen been sharpened to both perversion and dangerousness. One thing Endresen not succeed well enough, despite its obvious inspiration from Guy Ritchie’s early films, is namely to make villains properly menacing – as well as the humor is important for this genre combination.

When the comedy a little too often either do not have sufficient risible effect, ends “Wendy effect” unfortunately as a rather weak and disappointing affair, which under doubt earns the trey on the dice. Possibly there will be more fruitful if Endresen next time focuses on whether thriller or nonsense.

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