You know, every once in a while, a film comes along that leaves you feeling a bit… well, conflicted. “Tommy,” directed by Tarik Saleh, is one of those films. It’s like a smörgåsbord of chaotic emotions – thrilling, gripping but sometimes just plain confusing.

The plot follows Estelle (Moa Gammel), who returns to Sweden with her daughter after her husband Tommy’s grand heist. The atmosphere is thick with tension from the get-go, and if you’re one of those who love a good crime thriller, this one’s right up your alley. Saleh sets the tone with a gloomy, almost grey-ish palette that makes you feel the chill of Stockholm in winter. You can almost hear the snow crunching underboots.

Gammel’s performance as Estelle is stellar, she brings a sort of raw vulnerability mixed with a fierce protectiveness for her family. Watching her navigate the treacherous waters of Stockholm’s underworld while trying to shield her daughter is both painful and powerful. But, and there’s always a but, the narrative sometimes feels a bit jagged, like puzzle pieces that don’t quite fit. I mean, one minute you’re deep into a suspenseful chase, next minute you’re scratching your head wondering if you missed something.

I couldn’t help but think back to when I first heard ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All” on a chilly autumn evening. It was one of those songs that just hit differently. “Tommy” kind of did the same, it hit but in a way that leaves you questioning the next note. There’s definitely something there though; a certain Nordic noir je ne sais quoi that keeps you hooked, even if the plot is sometimes as clear as foggy fjord.

And hey, let’s be honest, crime dramas are our bread and butter, ain’t they? There’s something about the gritty underbelly of Swedish society that feels just familiar enough to be unsettling. But don’t go in expecting all answers handed to you on a silver platter, you’ll have to dig for those.

Maybe it wasn’t a perfect film, but it was certainly an experience. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll find yourself thinking about it long after the credits roll.

Check out the trailer and see if it stirs something in you: Tommy