Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980

Ah, “Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980″—it really drags you into the grimy, rain-soaked streets of Yorkshire, and, believe me, it’s not exactly Stockholm in the spring. Directed by James Marsh, who, by the way, also gave us that wild documentary “Man on Wire,” this film sits in the middle of the Red Riding Trilogy. And what a claustrophobic dive into the abyss it is.

Paddy Considine, ever the chameleon, takes on the role of Peter Hunter, an outsider detective. He’s juggling a case as murky as a Swedish winter and memories you’d rather have drowned in glögg. The way he embodies weariness? It kinda reminds me of those late nights reviewing at the Stockholm Film Festival, high on caffeine and the latest Bergman re-runs.

The story pulls you into this murky realm of corruption and misery—pretty dark stuff. And let me tell you, it messes a bit with your head. It’s like when you accidentally add salt instead of sugar to your morning porridge, utterly unexpected and jarring. You’re left thinking, “how are the sausage and potatoes gonna save this day?”

Marsh employs this unforgettable, gritty cinematography that leaves you feeling like you’ve got half of Yorkshire’s soot under your fingernails. But hey, who doesn’t appreciate a bit of cinematic realism now and then? Except maybe for my sofa, which I feel needed a deep clean after absorbing all that grime through the screen.

The pace can be slow, even for us Swedes who basically invented the art of slow cinema. Sometimes, I felt like I was trudging through knee-deep February snow. But, it’s worth trudging on, much like surviving the Swedish winter, for those rare, sparkling moments of storytelling you can’t quite shake off.

So, if you’re up for a tale that’s darker than a black coffee in December, “Red Riding 1980” might just be your cup of… well, maybe not tea, but something strong enough to keep your senses alive through the long night. And hey, isn’t surviving the long night what we do best?

Check the trailer below