The Quiet Ones is based on the true story of a Danish heist in 2008, but the characters and their struggles never transcend the movie to become real. Directed by Frederik Louis Hviid, The Quiet Ones makes strides to distinguish itself from the standard heist film. I appreciate the slower pace and attempts to subvert tropes, as this would’ve made me lose interest immediately. It’s a well-made and decently acted film, but a crime drama must be more than this. As it stands, The Quiet Ones isn’t action-packed enough to be pure fun or interrogative enough to be thought-provoking.

From the start, it’s intriguing that The Quiet Ones is bringing to life this supposedly enormous, record-breaking heist. The small, contained scale of the movie juxtaposes the significance of what they’re trying to pull off, for better or worse. Watching the film exposed me to a foreign world where heists are glamorous and mind-bogglingly intricate, like in Ocean’s Eleven​​​​​​. The men in The Quiet Ones treat the theft as exactly what it is: a job they plan and train for. However, it’s in the moments they can’t plan for that I get a glimpse into their hopes and fears.

The Quiet Ones Relies On Style, But Foregoing Character Development Made Me Lose Interest

There’s No Question That The Quiet Ones Has An Aesthetic Voice, But I Wanted More From Its Thematic One

Gustav Dyekjær Giese plays Kasper, the only character we ever get the chance to know. A failed boxer, Kasper is quickly lured by the possibility that pulling off this heist is the break he, his wife, and young daughter have been waiting for. The 2008 global financial crisis looms in the background of every frame. Though the radio and TV broadcasts that inform us of bank foreclosures and the uncertainty of the U.S. market get a little heavy-handed, I appreciate the attempt to lend some meaning to the character’s actions.

For Kasper, the drive to provide for his family is compelling enough, but even here, the movie never convinces us of his poverty or desperation. We get hints that it’s more than just his financial anxieties that push him to act, as his compeтιтive edge and drive to be the best are shown in glimpses. Kasper is sharply contrasted by his partner, Slimani (Reda Kateb), a man to whom cruelty comes easily and has no trouble doing whatever it takes to survive. However, even Slimani doesn’t go past the point of no return.

I didn’t want the people in the film to be caricatures, but a little more drive and emotion would’ve gone a long way. However, I understand what Hviid was trying to do by keeping the other facets of the characters’ lives separate from the narrative. This anonymity demonstrates the harsh line between the different parts of these men’s lives. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to ignore that The Quiet Ones criminally underuses its female characters. Maria (Amanda Collin), the only woman with more than a few moments onscreen, is essentially used as a tool to discuss the cost of violence.

The threat of violence is something only a few of the characters can handle. It’s always interesting to see how guns are treated outside of Hollywood and the U.S. For much of the rest of the world, gun violence is not part of everyday life, and to plow someone down in cold blood is treated with the weight it deserves by the film. How the men, specifically Kasper and Slimani, either struggle to accept that violence is an unavoidable part of their mission or readily embrace this aspect of the theft says more about their characters than the exposition.

While The Quiet Ones has the bones of a good idea and even a good movie, there’s something missing that would’ve elevated it beyond the typical fare of the genre. What I appreciate the most about the film is the clear attempts to craft a cohesive visual language instead of falling into the trap of shooting it like every action blockbuster. The recurring motif of mirrors and their ability to reflect multiple versions of people and reality tied into clear thematic messages. Across the board, I wanted more moments like this and more commentary from the filmmakers.

The Murky Message Of The Quiet Ones Makes Me Wish For A Stronger Perspective

When The Quiet Ones Ends, It’s Hard To Know How To Feel

When adapting real events, there’s often an instinct on the part of the writer and director to let the events unfold and avoid taking a stance as if it’s a documentary. However, as the author of a movie, there is an inherent perspective and opinion, whether you like it or not. The film could’ve used more of this personal point of view. It’s not new information that the financial crash ruined many lives and people were driven to unbelievable actions, but I’m not sure what The Quiet Ones is adding to this conversation.

The moment that will stay with me is the final confrontation between Kasper and Maria. Though brief, it’s the film’s more effective emotional beat. Is it greed and compeтιтion that drive Kasper to slip up? Is it mercy? For The Quiet Ones, the answer doesn’t seem to matter. It’s more than likely that both versions of reality exist inside Kasper simultaneously, as they do in us all. Just as he and Slimani innately understand that this isn’t a crime they’re going to get away with, no matter how much they run, they’re going to do it anyway.

The Quiet Ones will be available to watch in theaters and on digital on February 21, 2025.