Northwest

Michael Noer's Northwest (Denmark, 2013) - The northwest of Copenhagen can't compete in the danger sweepstakes with northeast Detroit, but its influence as a breeding ground for criminality forms a significant element in Michael Noer's accomplished if unoriginal sophomore feature, "Northwest." In the end though, it's less about environment than personality, as a teen's growing attraction to a life of crime conflicts with his attempts to block his younger brother from the same path. As a theme, it's older than Warner Bros.' 1930s gangster pics, though Noer has a satisfyingly neorealist feel for milieu and character. The Euro arthouse scene is this film's true direction. (VARIETY). 2013ROTbf. RATING: 7