Well, he pushed as hard as he could.

As with a lot of NWR, it’s more inventive with its approach than the actual story. This thing is fairly straightforward and predictable, but the small European setting, gritty handheld and extreme violence make it so much more interesting. The acting’s great, though I wish it’d focussed on Mads Mikkelsen as the main character as he seems more interesting than the actual protagonist. The filmmaking’s also pretty good, nothing as stylish as _Drive_ or _The Neon Demon_ but this story doesn’t need to be that flashy. I love the lo-fi, raw feel and strong musical references to late 90s underground culture, even in his earliest work you can see NWR’s talent for creating a strong vibe. 7/10

A solid crime thriller. 'Pusher' entertained me enough, though the plot did feel a bit repetitive as it felt like it kept 'going around in circles' to me personally. Some of the lighting and editing (as in cuts) choices also made the film feel a little more underwhelming. The cast do well, arguably the film's strongest element. Kim Bodnia makes for a solid lead, though his performance is a tad samey throughout - similar to the aforementioned. Mads Mikkelsen's Tonny sticks out because he is being played by Mads Mikkelsen, the character is OK - underused perhaps, though I may just think that as it's Mads... the whole reason I chose to view this trilogy, to be honest. 6/10 would feel harsh so this 1996 release gets 7/10 from yours truly. I didn't overly enjoy it, though I can't exactly say I disliked it either... probably levels out at watchable.

It offers an authentic window into the life of a small-time drug dealer, struggling to stay alive. It's gritty, raw and has the realistic feel of a Soderbergh or Van Sant film. Solid crime drama.

The life and death of a small-time dealer on the outskirts of glittering neon signs and the dull life of a cold-blooded society. Real life is where sometimes no words are worth speaking, where people buy and sell high and sex without thinking about what will happen tomorrow. In just a week, the dealer learns that he is a nobody in it.