Sub-Titles? Not a Problem
I've found when you watch a gripping film, you don't even realize you're reading sub-titles!
If you watch a lot of foreign television series and movies, as Darling Hubby and I do, you may be familiar with the term Scandi-noir or Nordic-noir.
This refers to the television and film from the Scandinavian countries, most of which are extremely imaginative and creepy. I call it film noir on steroids.
Witnesses, Season 2
Season 2 of Witnesses finally joined Season 1 as a Netflix offering. Darling Hubby and I had seen Season 1 and were hooked. The series opened with a gripping scene in a real estate for sale house. That's all I'll say in case you haven't seen it yet.
Season 2 opens with an equally compelling, creepy scene in a bus. Again, no spoilers. That begins a journey through the twisted mind of a serial killer, his willing accomplice, and a psychopath who inspired it all. Creepy doesn't begin to describe this story line.
Don't Star Watching Late At Night
We started watching late yesterday when we returned from a party. We ended up binge-watching the entire season 2. We didn't turn the TV off until the wee hours of the morning. We just had to see what would happen next.
Yes, we're idiots. I'm so tired as I write this that I could fall asleep in my chair.
I must tell you that I hated the ending. It made me angry--with the exception of someone who got saved which I had not expected. The ending just seemed to come out of left field even though, in all fairness, the viewer was led to it by a breadcrumb dropped here and there.
Will that ending keep me from watching Season 3 should they make it? No. Here's why.
Great Acting, Compelling Plots
The main character Detective Sandra Winckler is believable. The thing I truly like about European productions is that they don't glam up the actors. The cast look like real people who could be hardworking homicide cops like Sandra.
She's a single mother trying to balance parental duties with homicide investigations. She has 2 kids, one of whom is a mouthy tween, an ex who wants more time with the kids, and a libido that occasionally reminds her she's still a sexual being. Marie Dompnier portrays Sandra perfectly. Her partner Justin is portrayed by Jan Hammenecker. He's irascible and always arguing with her about her theories, but when push comes to shove, he's a rock for her.
Catherine Mouchet is Maxine Dubreuil, the woman who runs their division and holds everything together. She takes all the heat from the higher-ups and tries her best to protect her detectives.
Prominently in Season 2 is Audrey Fleurot as Catherine Keemer in the "ripped from the headlines" story that propels this season. There were times when I shouted at the screen: "You're too stupid to live," when Catherine did something stupid that reminded me of the woman who goes into the basement where the sadistic killer is hiding. Then there were other times when she did something gutsy and totally believable in keeping with her character.
The same can be said of Detective Sandra Winckler. Sometimes I felt she fell into the TSTL category. Too Stupid To Live, but she always redeemed herself.
Takeaway Truth
If you're looking for a thriller that's different from American fare, definitely watch Witnesses.
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