As someone who rarely has used drugs, I’m not attracted to works on the subject, although I’m more likely to watch one that concentrates on the criminal aspects rather than the addictive or comic. Easy Money (2010) is an intense Swedish thriller that has an international scope. I was surprised to find the country had such a variety of immigrants. The plot concerns a poor college student’s descent into money laundering, and the fight over a huge shipment of cocaine. Most of the characters’ origins are negative, spent in poverty or abuse. There are Serbs, Albanians, Latins and Arabs involved in the quest for the bounty the ironic title promises. None can be trusted. The storylines of three of them generate suspense and curiosity as to which, if any, will survive. I found the storytelling far superior to the filming technique, which was frequently choppy, hand-held cameras apparently in action by director Daniel Espinosa, whose mom is Swedish. A few incidents did not make sense. Still, it is absorbing work, based on a novel Jens Lapidus. The star, Joel Kinnaman, reminded me of Keith Carradine. One of the cast, Dragomir Mrsic, actually served three-and-a-half years for a bank robbery. A sequel was issued in 2012. I’m not sure yet if I will add it to my list at Netflix. My chief curiosity is the fate of a beautiful eight year girl who has the misfortune of being taken away from her drug addicted mother and put into the custody of her criminal father. She tugged at my heart strings. Knowing that the fate of such children usually is negative, I am reluctant to view the second installment. The film is rated 6.6 of ten at IMDb. On a scale of five, I rate it 3.25. Scandinavia has become a mecca of crime fiction, on film and in print.
Last night I had the privilege of listening to a sports radio show, through iheartradio, co-hosted by Mike Taylor, who I coached for a couple of years at Loy Norrix H.S. in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is mentioned several times in my second novel, Adjustments. Five-six, 145 pounds, he was an amazing three-sport athlete: football, basketball, baseball. And he was/is quite a character. I affectionately refer to him as my all-time favorite "coach killer," a kid who frequently did things his own way. He is a natural for such a gig, full of energy and knowledge. Most of the hour dealt with local sports: a long interview with a DB at Ferris St. whose parents adopted several children from Africa; and a short one with the athletic director at Kalamazoo Central H.S., a school with a rich sports tradition, about girls playing football. The show concluded with Mike offering several fun trivia items, including the fact that Coco Brazil, who wrestled in the 50's and 60's and whose finishing move was the Coco Butt, was actually from Benton Harbor, Michigan. Who knew? Kudos, Michael.
It wasn't exactly easy money on the street today, but it was more than I expected. The only mistake I made was not displaying my own books, as I was certain it would pour at some time during the session. Aside from a stray drop here and there, the rain held off. I sold The Godfather III (1990) on VHS, Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) on DVD, and several works of non-fiction. Thanks, folks.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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