Aquitted, or Frikjent, witch is the original title, has a very intriguing plot, which is inspired on an idea which occurred after the disappearance, and later found killed, young girl, Birgitte Tengs. A young lover was sentenced, but later acquitted for the killing, but even if there was an acquittal, the suspected young man was still sentenced to pay for damages. Upon this base, the main writers Anna-Bache Wiig and Siv Rajendram Eliassen.
We meet a modern businessman in Aksel Borgen, which for years have had considerable success, and is well established with a wife and son in Indonesia. Even back home some know about his success, though there's been a long 20 years since he left his little home town on the western coast of Norway. When the most important local firm at his birth place is in serious trouble, Aksel Borgen is asked back to save the all-important firm and his hometown in Norway. But there's a major catch. 20 years ago, he left his home town after being acquitted for murdering his high school sweetheart. People back home hasn't forgotten anything about the case.
The series rely very much on the acting in a series which is full of close dialog. This is a mystery crime drama with a touch of classy soap. It's well made, and beautifully produced. It also show the multi talented Nicolai Cleve Broch in a role which is perfect for his specter of method acting. We get time to care about the persons, which is crucial in such a series. We get to know a lot of interesting persons in a wast gallery in two countries on each side of the world. We see all kinds of conflicts evolve, and being dragged up from far beyond once more. Deep emotions, hard feelings, which is followed by a haunting music score, heavy on sentimentality as well as sadness.
The scenery is beautiful, and will add an extra exotic feel to the film of a really small town, which has old and modern buildings mixed as a part of the scenery as well as the premises for the plot unfolding. The film shows modern and traditional rural Norway, with architecture and modern technology is mixed with everyday life and the rural old traditional feel and traditions. On this back-draft, the modern multi national business is entering with modern tailor made suits and a beautiful designed Audi A7 limousine, which is used as a contrast to the nature, very effectively.
The main score, "To assign properties" is beautifully performed by the upcoming Norwegian band Highasakite, and fold every episode's opening and closing in a simply perfect way. Perfectly suited.
The slick feel is also made by the lovely footage. The whole series is excellent photographed all through. The story seems like it's got new angles all the time, and very likely there will be a second season, since this series has been a great success in native country Norway, with up to 45 % market share when aired. The series is sold to a lot of countries, and will have a world wide TV-distribution. Quite deservedly so. You'll probably have easy to see inspiration from other Scandinavian film inspirations, like Bergman, Hamer and Bier. Very Scandinavian. Very Norwegian.
The series is already sold to 15 countries, and more to come. The series is chosen for the Geneva International Film Festival og Seoul International Drama Awards, where it's nominated for three awards, amongst them best script.
