The Absent One

2014 1h 56m DA

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 715

Thriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Denmark, 2014. A former police officer asks Carl Mørck, head of Department Q, to find out who brutally killed his young twins in 1994. Although a local inhabitant confessed and was convicted of murder, Carl and his partner Assad soon realize that there is something in the case resolution that is terribly wrong.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Carl Mørck
Fares Fares
Hafez el-Assad
Pilou Asbæk
Ditlev Pram
David Dencik
Ulrik Dybbøl
Danica Ćurčić
Kirsten Marie 'Kimmie' Lassen
Sarah-Sofie Boussnina
Kimmie som ung
Johanne Louise Schmidt
Rose Knudsen
Marco Ilsø
Ditlev som ung

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Mikkel Nørgaard
Writers: Nikolaj Arcel, Rasmus Heisterberg, Anders Huulgaard
Languages: Danish, English, French
Countries: Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 12 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Danish, English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Department Q Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Mikkel Nørgaard, shot by Eric Kress. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Johan Söderqvist. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Morten Egholm shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares and Pilou Asbæk carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Mikkel Nørgaard directs. Eric Kress behind the camera. Johan Söderqvist scores. Morten Egholm cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden. Dialogue in Danish, English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 12 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Danish, English, French.
3International production across 4 countries: Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden.
4Part of the "Department Q Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Mikkel Nørgaard, shot by Eric Kress. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Johan Söderqvist. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Morten Egholm shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares and Pilou Asbæk carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt3140100 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 9 themes, including "based on novel or book", "denmark", "boarding school", "co-workers relationship".
11Released under 11 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Eric Kress
Original score: Johan Söderqvist
Editing: Morten Egholm
Production design: Rasmus Thjellesen
Makeup / hair: Birgitte Samson
Sound: Hans Møller
Stunt coordinator: Dennis Albrethsen
Runtime: 116 min · 1h 56m
Status: Released
Budget: $5,800,000
Box office: $11,500,000
Return: 198% of budget
Original language: DA
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Absent One (2014)

Part of

Department Q Collection

Movies adapted from the Department Q series of novels by Jussi Adler-Olsen

Also by

Mikkel Nørgaard

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Reno2015-10-24
★ 7.5/10
The second episode: A new case in the hands. A follow up to 'The Keeper of Lost Causes' based on the Danish crime-thriller novel of the same name in the original language. That one was a classy, a brilliant initiation in the 'Department Q' series. One of the best Scandinavian detective movie I have ever seen. I expected same energetic, caliber and suspenseful in this as well. But marginally disappointing, yet it stood and delivered to the previous film's standard. In this second episode, it was a murder mystery for Carl and Assad to crack it down. They did not choose it, the case did. It was a long pending affair in the department, since then the world has changed a lot. But the father of twins murdered who investigated privately leaves all the required evidence to the Department Q team. Now, where these two deeply dedicated detectives begin, how they dig it and whether they reach the other end of the investigation to uncover everything is the rest of the film. With a new target in the hands, the Department Q world expands further bigger than the first film. Takes us to the two decades earlier and narrates some of the key events by introducing new characters. So it also creates curiosity about the happenings around and sufficient suspense where it all went wrong. The prediction was not that hard, but without a clear picture of what happened, I simply failed to make a guess as I do always. The story holds everything back, that's a weak point, but very gripping with those thrilling going after scenes. "I never met anyone as destructive as him." Too much of flashbacks might be the reason for movie to lose the original appeal. It reduced Carl and Assad's screen-space. It was good for this particular plot to develop the story and characters, but did not help what Department Q theme is known for. That was not at all, certainly it was a good story, I'm not arguing with that, but the presentation was not charming enough and the dearth of fine action sequences was a little setback which was absolutely necessary in the cop themed films. The movie was shot very well with maintaining the same tone from the first, along great performances by everyone. The difference between Carl and Assad remained, we should say it was maintained as it should be. In any two buddy cop movies, they are always antipodal characteristic. It was like a cliche, but brings the better outcome. These two guys together form a best homicide team in Copenhagen police department. Now the third character introduced in this part, a secretary who loosely hangs around, but out of the league from the perspective of story narration. Very much a Danish's answer to the Swedish's 'Dragon Tattoo' films. But in a way the two are not a comparable, if you do, then this one lacks in a long way. Because of the type of cop works are different with completely different universe and environment. After the first two films the director has changed for the third film, which is set to hit the screen in 2016. Hoping for 'A Conspiracy of Faith' to do much better than this one, because many more to follow if that succeeds. 7½/10

Production companies