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DOWSE movie guide review of Pusher

Pusher
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
109 minutes (unrated) 1996 widescreen 1.66:1 Anchor Bay DVD Region '0'
review by Christopher Teague

This film would probably be subjected to some form of ultimate irony: if Hollywood remade this superb Danish thriller, it would be a complete pile of bovine excrement, even though it is made in a very Hollywood way.
   I had never heard of Nicolas Winding Refn, but if this is the standard of his efforts, then I shall look out for him in the future. He has made a terrific thriller, which despite its two main characters, Frank and Tonny, being drug pushers, it is very watchable. The basic premise is Frank incurring the wrath of a local drug lord, and going on the lam. There, in a nutshell.
   Refn's style of direction is pure Hollywood, with no European arty-farty nonsense. His approach feels guerrilla-like, and uncompromising (akin to Abel Ferrara and Scorsese) - its drug-taking scenes are incredibly realistic, along with the violence. Also, keep an eye on the crowd, who look on with bewilderment when they see people running down the middle of the road. The script, written by Refn and Jens Dahl, contains some great dialogue, but allows the cast to create the characters as their own, and Refn I feel openly encouraged this, with his almost documentary approach.
   Another plus point is the music, which is pure metal, but then I like grinding guitars and pounding drums, which complements the film perfectly. As for picture and sound quality, the print is in widescreen but of no great shakes quality wise, and the soundtrack is in Dolby 5.1 - but again there is nothing there to show it off, apart from the music at full volume.
   In a nutshell, if you want to see a well-made thriller, and do not mind reading subtitles, then I heartily recommend this film. I watched it with an open mind, since my only notion of Danish cinema is someone called Lars von Trier, whose claim to fame is having full penetrative sex on a dull film about people pretending to be 'spazs', but hailed by pompous critics as a genius. Bah, humbug.
   DVD extras: a pretty good bag. A making-of featurette, On The Edge, where the executive producer fills the role vacated by 'Cubby' Broccoli, with a huge cigar; director's commentary, talent biographies, cinema trailer, TV ad spot, subtitles (thankfully) and scene access in 23 chapters.

Christopher Teague

originally published in VideoVista #20 (November 2000)

DOWSE Guide to the Movies is compiled by Tony Lee editor of Pigasus Press
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