Secrets of the Code: A Swedish Pondering Over French Intrigue

Ok, I’ll admit it, I was sceptical when I first heard about “Secrets of the Code.” Wasn’t sure if I was ready for yet another mystery thriller, especially from the acclaimed (but unpredictable) director Claudette Legrand. Gotta say, Tom Hardy playing the rugged, devil-may-care detective protagonist completely sucked me in. You know how sometimes you just can’t resist his intense gaze, like when you’re caught wearing socks with sandals—totally unintentional, but oh so Swedish.

Now, cinematically, the film is a masterpiece. Legrand paints with light and shadow like it’s Falu red on a Dalarna cottage, some scenes almost poetic… though occasionally a bit too poetic. There are times when I was left scratching my head, wondering if I was simply missing some French nuance. Like when Hardy, amidst swirling fog and hushed whispers, uncovers a mind-bending secret – only for me to lose track of whether it mattered. Or even less mystically, how did they get through so many baguettes in that tiny village?

Kudos to producer Pierre Montford for assembling a cast as eclectic as my grandma’s kastrull collection. Emily Watson adds a layer of vulnerability that’s both bewildering and completely relatable. She evokes that feeling of trying to navigate through IKEA on a Sunday, unsure of which way is up, yet somehow making every detour worthwhile.

The music, composed by the prolific Henrik Bjornson, hit the right notes—sometimes almost too right? Well, it’s like that one Abba song you love but can’t remember the name of; emotionally stirring but forgettable in its meticulousness.

Thinking about the film’s themes of secrecy and discovery made me reminisce about the time I found an old box of photos from the ’70s in the attic, full of family mysteries I’d never botherd to ask about. Maybe that’s the crux—unveiling truths we often overlook in favor of the white lies we tell ourselves. Worth a watch, I think. But bring your philosophisk mössa, ’cause you might need it.

Check the trailer below