When You Don’t Need an American Remake: The Snabba Cash Franchise

Image courtesy of The Weinstein Company

People often think that a film or franchise has to make it in America to be successful. Films from all over the world are often remade by American stars or studios and are therefore considered hits.

The remakes are too numerous to mention, but a recent example is: Speak no evilan American remake of the 2022 Danish horror film.

One franchise that also fits this pattern is The girl with a dragon tattoobased on the Swedish noir novels by Stieg Larsson. Swedish films based on the trilogy were made in the late 00s, with David Fincher releasing his remake of the first in 2011. That series has been hugely successful, with subsequent film adaptations of later novels and even another Swedish author continuing the trilogy after Larsson died. Fincher’s film definitely brought fans to the franchise, and you could argue that it helped make the franchise more successful.

Another Swedish crime/noir franchise that has been just as successful, but without an American remake, is Snabba moneya trilogy of films and a more recent series based on the novels of Swedish crime writer Jens Lapidus. The original film almost got a remake in 2010, thanks to Zach Efron who wanted to produce and star in one. Fortunately, that never happened and the original got all the credit on its own.

The 2010 Swedish film follows the tightly plotted story of three characters in Stockholm, all struggling financially and trying to get ahead. The idea of ​​snabba cash (‘easy money’ in English) is the goal that binds and literally intertwines these characters throughout the film. JW is a bright finance student who drives a taxi at night in an attempt to have money to party with Stockholm’s elite on the weekends. Joel Kinnaman won a Guldbagge (Swedish Oscar) for his portrayal of JW. Abdulkarim, JW’s boss at the taxi service, gives the finance student a few opportunities to earn some extra money, including picking up Jorge (Matias Varela), who has recently escaped from prison. Jorge is a Chilean migrant who was imprisoned for his role in the cocaine trade.

The Serbian mafia in Stockholm wants Jorge because of his extensive knowledge of the cocaine trade. So, Serbian hitman Mrado (Dragomir Mrsic) is also sent to pick up Jorge, who could help the Serbians take over the cocaine trade. JW initially loses Jorge, who is found by Mrado. The student later finds Jorge beaten up by Mrado and finds a way to save Jorge. The Chilean ex-con is helped back on his feet in JW’s dorm room, where they become somewhat friends.

TThe story continues with JW carving out a space for himself by using his knowledge of the elite’s financial problems to help Abdulrakim and Jorge launder their cocaine money. The paths of JW, Jorge and Mrado literally cross throughout the rest of the film. Loyalties shift as the realities of the criminal underworld affect each of the three protagonists (Jorge, JW and Mrado) in different ways.

Cinematographer Aril Wretblad won a Guldbagge for his artistic use of shaky cam and more naturalistic lighting in the film. This style could almost Snabba money part of the Dogme 95 movement, a set of rules drawn up by Danish directors Thomas Vinterberg (One more round) and Lars von Trier (Dog City). The visual style and production adhere to many (but not all) of these rules. The goal is to make more grounded, realistic films and keep more control of the production in the hands of the directors.

The result is a naturalistic crime story with noir elements that explores class divides and the desire to get ahead. The film feels similar to Michael Mann’s Heat in its more naturalistic production and use of the city itself as a set and light source. Both Kinnaman and director Daniel Espinosa have gone on to star in and direct many different American films and series.

Two more films followed, inspired by author Lapidus’ novels and continuing the story of JW, Mrado and Jorge.

Image courtesy of Netflix

Similar themes and plots were used a decade later in the Netflix series of the same name. The first season follows two Syrian immigrants and a Swedish teenager as they all encounter each other while trying to get ahead.

Startup entrepreneur and single mother Lena (Evin Ahmad) gets further entangled with cocaine dealers while trying to build a good life for her son. Salim (Alexander Abdallah) is a wedding singer whose day job is to work for a local drug dealer, although he wants to get out of the criminal life. Swedish teenager Tim (Ali Alarik) stumbles upon some easy money opportunities as a courier for Salim and his boss.

The ruthlessness of the cocaine trade and the startup business unite this trio of protagonists in a tight six-episode season co-written by author Lapidus. The recent series continues the original film’s naturalistic filmmaking technique, making use of Stockholm’s industrial areas, forests and conference rooms. The first season builds to a botched drug shipment, reminiscent of the bank robbery sequence from Mann’s Heat.

The second season was released last year and a third season is planned for this year.

Like Mash, Fargo, HighlanderAnd The gentlemen, Snabba money has proven its significance through its successful adaptation into an ongoing television series. Both the series and the original films delve into the lives of immigrants, the struggle to get ahead, and the class conflicts that occur in life in the big city.

And all this success comes without the usual mediocre American remake.

– Eric Strand