Reykjavík-Rotterdam

A famous director of comedies in Iceland, Oskar Jónasson broke new ground with "Remote Control" in the early 90's. Far from the comedy territory with which one associates Jónasson "Reykjavík-Rotterdam" tells the bleak story of ex-con Kristófer, who was recently jailed for smuggling alcohol while working on a ship. As he struggles to support his family, he gets the opportunity to do one last smuggling job on a freighter between Reykjavik and Rotterdam.Dealing not only with the local police, who suspects that he is back to his old ways, but also with a captain who mistrusts him and a psychopathic Dutch criminal, Krístofer sets out on his mission to buy more products overseas.

"Reykjavík-Rotterdam" is a naturalistic and gritty looking thriller, thanks to the work of "Jar City"-cinematographer Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson. True to an odd, but persistent convention of Icelandic films, all scenes featuring any form of gun related violence takes place overseas, and not on Iceland.
SHELLY JOHNSON