Description

Crime dramas have long been used as a backdrop for existential character studies. The black and white morality of cops and criminals provides storytellers with an opportunity to subvert audience expectations, and explore the grey zone between good and evil. Uro tells the story of Hans Petter, HP for short, a reformed delinquent who’s pulled himself up by his own bastard boostraps and now makes his living as an undercover cop. HP’s criminal demeanor, juvie tattoos and willingness to snort the odd line allow him to get close to Oslo’s hustlers, making him the ideal narc. His superiors see promise in him, but are worried by his penchant for breaking rules to get a bust.

HP spots a career opportunity when he encounters Mette, his former high-school crush and now bad-girl owner of the un-subtly named club Front. HP rekindles his relationship with Mette, and befriends Marco, her smalltime pusher who peddles drugs out of the back of the club. After being accidentally busted with Marco, HP finds his criminal credibility at an all-time high. Without waiting for official sanctioning from headquarters, he decides to go deep undercover in an attempt to bring down the kingpin at the source of Marco’s supply. In the process, HP discovers that the line between good and evil can be a fine one, and the difference between the two doesn’t always coincide with the side of the law you’re standing on.

Superficially, Uro resembles American cops-turned-bad films like Narc, or Training Day. Tonally and stylistically, however, it is the Danish Pusher films that URO is most derivative of. With characters named Milo, Frank and even Radovan, Uro wears the influence of Pusher on its sleeve. Both films have an ever-escalating sense of impending doom and hopelessness, but while the Pusher films tend to end on a note of exaggerated hopelessness and violence, Uro’s bleak momentum culminates in an act of resignation and redemption.

—Andy Mauro

Website

http://www.urofilm.no/

Credits

Director: Stefan Faldbakken
Screenplay: Harald Rosenløw-Eeg
Cast: Nicolai Cleve Broch Ane Dahl Torp Ahmed Zeyan Ingar Helge Gimle Nicolas Bro
Producers: Christian Fredrik Martin, Asle Vatn
Distributor: NFI