Lewes Film Club - King's Game

It’s three weeks before the Danish general election, and the front-runner in the polls is involved in a serious car accident - he’s on the critical list. The political scene disintegrates into chaos as each party fights to get their best contender in the hot seat. The leading Centre Party plans to appoint its environment minister, Lone Kjeldsen, as its candidate; information about a scandal involving her husband lands on the desk of rookie journalist Ulrik Torp, played superbly by Anders W Berthelsen. He gets his first front page cover story too easily when he writes it up, and this makes him realize he has been set up. He sets out to find the truth, but time is running out and he has to go through many hoops and twists to get there - side-stepping baddies, spin doctors and conspiracy theories along the way.

The film is based on a novel by political insider Niels Krause Kjoer which gives it weight and gravity. It is slick and set in dark, moody colours throughout in the best traditions of film noir. It’s an incredibly impressive debut for its director Nikolai Arcel. It made a huge splash in Denmark when it was released in 2004, winning eight Danish Academy Awards including Best Film and Best Director. Subtitles alone have stopped King’s Game (Kongekabale) becoming a huge hit here. Brave the rain and check it out. KA