Jackpot

A black comedy based on a story by popular Norwegian crime novelist Jo Nesbø, filmmaker Magnus Martens' Jackpot tells an absurdist tale of blood, mayhem, and a reconstructed alibi that strains police credulity. When the buffoonish Oscar (Kyrre Hellum) is discovered as the shotgun-toting sole survivor of a shootout at a strip club, a quirky, investigating detective named Solør (Henrik Mestad) naturally assumes he's guilty. But Oscar claims otherwise, laying out a convoluted story involving a Christmas tree factory; a soccer bet that reaps a fortune (followed by betrayal); a lost head; an old tanning bed missing a hidden corpse; a wall painted red; and a dying thug who is worried about picking up his kid at school. The mishaps—sometimes quite funny—pile on, although what gives Jackpot its sustained irony is the grudging relationship that grows between cop and suspect as, bit by bit, Oscar's nutty story checks out. Sure to appeal to Nesbø fans, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette (5 min.) and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for an entertaining film.] (T. Keogh)