Stockholm can be described as a fun and comedic film, covering a dark subject matter in order to show its audience how human beings cope with stressful, life threatening situations. The film is based on the Swedish bank heist, and hostage situation, that would later inspire the coining of the phrase "Stockholm syndrome," which describes the phenomenon of a hostage forming a bond with their captor. Of the many things the film does well, what stands above the rest is the films ability to make the audience realize how someone might actually succumb to Stockholm syndrome. The main anti-hero of the story, Lars (Ethan Hawke), shows early on that all he really wants is to get his buddy, Gunnar (Mark Strong), out of jail. You the audience member even find yourself sympathizing with him as over the course of the film he goes out of his way to care for his hostages including letting one of them, Bianca (Noomi Rapace), use the telephone to call her family. The comedy in the film comes across quite well, at some points I found myself audibly laughing, and allows the audience to establish a better connection with Lars. Apart from the story, the 70's aesthetics were executed perfectly with a very pleasing color pallet focusing on shades of orange and teal, wonderful b-roll of a 70's Stockholm, and a few Bob Dylan songs thrown in for good measure. It was very enjoyable to watch and had my interest peaked right from the get-go.
