"Their resistance to outside help and their loyalty toward their captors was puzzling, and psychologists began to study the phenomenon in this and other hostage situations." Rachel Lloyd It doesn't pay to second guess Bianca Lind's (Noomi Rapace) falling for her abductor, Lars Nystrom (Ethan Hawke), in the real life 1973 heist/abduction that originated the descriptor, Stockholm Syndrome. Even as romantic as writer/director Robert Budreau makes the situation, no matter how crazy-charming he makes Lars, the situation, close to life or death, strains credulity. Although the scene has been regularly described as "absurd" by officials and the media, Budreau and his first-rate actors create a reality that at the very least reminds me of Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon. Dog is another hostage situation at a bank with Sonny (Al Pacino) seeking funds for a sex change for his lover. Sounds absurd until you feel the human emotions involved; in Stockholm the sympathy flows between mother Bianca, with a weak husband, and the defiant but "soft" Lars. Lars had been known to save a heart-attack victim at a heist and shows care for the hostages in the Stockholm bank. The two actors are so good, you can forgive his larceny and understand her attraction to him. It is by no means to exculpate Lars or to condemn the police for using gas-what else could they do? No one would think that the cinematic setups of this heist are an accurate rendition of the Norrmalmstorg robbery, yet the heightened passions; Lars' motive to spring his bank robbery buddy, Gunnar (Mark Strong); and the imperfect strategies of Chief Mattsson (Christopher Heyerdahl) ring true in any situation. Stockholm is a stock situation riddled with humanity, and some light humor (see the bumbling husband), to make an eccentric spin on an old formula. Enjoy the characters, and let your reality demands take a sideline.

Disturbing, intriguing, and comical, are just a few of the adjectives I would use to describe Stockholm, and although they all mean different things, they all come together to make the perfect movie. Stockholm is disturbing in the sense that the story line is based upon a woman catching feelings and likings toward her captor who has kept her hostage in a bank for multiple days. It is intriguing to watch as she develops these feelings for him, and it is comical because the bank robber himself, played by the marvelous Ethan Hawke, likes to try to make light of the situation even though he is the one committing the crime. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie for all its twists and turns and for that I highly recommend it.

I'm so confused. I was expecting a biopic, it is not! Why? It's an interesting story on it's own. And if you wanted to do it all Hollywood, why would you hire so many nordic actors and then do the entire movie in broken english. What a missed opportunity.

Did you ever wonder about the origin of the psychological condition known as "Stockholm Syndrome"? The title of this rather comical account of a bank robbery turning into a hostage situation telegraphs the answer. Although the script is fictional, it is based on the actual 1973 events that added one term to our vernacular, and one section in pertinent psych texts. Good thing. As this ordeal plays out, it would have been too absurd to make up from whole cloth and successfully pitch to any studio. Ethan Hawke is the solo robber at the beginning. But instead of grabbing the cash, he keeps a few hostages and demands the release of a prisoner (Mark Strong), among other terms. This goes on for a couple of days with more ups and downs and zany mishaps than one finds in any of Elmore Leonard's delightful comic caper novels or the movies they spawned. Not easy to do, unless you're the Marx Brothers. True to the premise, one of the hostages (Noomi Rapace, looking more prim and uptight than her norm) becomes the first to develop the symptoms. Another novelty is seeing the invariably-bald Strong sport a full head of lanky hair. Not his best look. The film drags on a bit too long for the claustrophobic setting, as nearly every shot we see occurs within the bank. That cost it one of the potential stars, above. Hawke's edginess is amusing for a while, but grows tedious as he loses his cool over so many setbacks and complications. Even so, it's a generally amusing and entertaining diversion. Expect a fairly farcical variation on Dog Day Afternoon to watch it in the right frame of mind.

It was like a bad comedy. It could have been made with heart and add some thrilling moments. It was just bad.

Greetings again from the darkness. The film opens with a title card informing us that it is "based on an absurd but true story". In 1973 the Kreditbanken of Stockholm Sweden was held up by an armed man. The ordeal was unusual for low-crime Sweden and it was broadcast live on TV. It has also been credited as being the origin for the term "Stockholm Syndrome" - a term to describe the bonding that sometimes occurs between a hostage and their captor. Writer-director Robert Budreau wisely wastes little time with setting the stage. Lars (Ethan Hawke) dons a disguise meant to trick the police, and storms the bank lobby armed with a sub-machine gun. Wearing a cowboy hat and a leather jacket with a Texas flag, he proclaims "Remember the Alamo" as he secures some hostages and presents himself as Kaj Hansson, a well-known criminal. Of course, Mr. Hawke is certainly an American, and the actual robbery/hostage event was conducted by a Swede. Lars is loud and boisterous to the cops, while simultaneously being sympathetic and understanding to the hostages - especially Bianca (Noomi Rapace), a married woman with two kids. Christopher Heyerdahl plays Police Chief Mattison, and he employs some unexpected psychological gamesmanship with Lars that gets even more convoluted when Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme becomes involved. Lars' real goal here is to spring his buddy Gunnar Sorensson (Mark Strong) from jail and have them both ride off to freedom in a mustang like the one Steve McQueen drove in BULLITT. Yes, I should mention that although guns are fired and hostages are held, this is really an offbeat comedic bank heist. It focuses on how the hostages bond with their captors and how Bianca quickly realizes that not only is she smarter than Lars and Gunnar, but that the cops are more of a threat to her than the criminals. She strategizes better than either side, and Ms. Rapace (from the original Millennium Trilogy) is the standout performer in the film. Filmmaker Budreau and Mr. Hawke previously collaborated on an intimate look at jazz trumpeter Chet Baker in BORN TO BE BLUE (2015), and they prove again that they work well together. The other two hostages are played by Bea Santos as Clara and Mark Rendall as Elov. When Prime Minister Palme refuses to negotiate or allow Lars to leave with hostages, we can sense the emotional tide turn as Clara, Elov and Bianca realize they are safest remaining with the hostages. Of course there are some liberties with history taken for cinematic reasons, and since most of the filming takes place within the confines of the bank, we do get to know each of the participants pretty well. The similarities to Sidney Lumet's DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975) are unmistakable, and one of the reporters covering the story even comments that it's "almost like watching an American movie." The odd ending works for the film, and thanks to Ms. Rapace, there is enough heft to the characters to prevent the humor for taking over.

Based on a true story, so I was interested and started watching (Stockholm syndrome). 6 min. into the movie a policeman walks in the bank, shoots at the hostage taker who is standing with his back turned 6 (SIX) meters away and... MISSES!!! The hostage taker startled (I would also if a policeman missed me at a distance of 6 meters) turns around and without aiming shoots with a bust of bullets the gun out of the hand of the policeman. Lucky shot I guess? This where I stopped watching. Based on a true story... I don't think so. If it's true, I hope they fired the policeman, he is/was a danger to the public the moment he draws his gun.

source: Stockholm

Ethan Hawke is unwatchable as psychopath Kaj Hansson robbing a bank in Stockholm. I dont know who the real Hansson was, but obviously this movie fails utterly in its attempts to recapture his character. That idea should never have made it till the script. Hawke is revolting annoying, I had to quit the movie after 20 minutes, despite the charming Noomi Rapace. She deserves better.

This movie did an incredible job of being both lighthearted but also meaningful. "Stockholm" is a fast-paced, exhilarating film with a sarcastic bite. This movie comically illustrates the psychology behind Stockholm syndrome, a psychosomatic condition that occurs when a hostage develops a bond with their capture as a means of survival. Based on a true story, "Stockholm" follows an ex-con as he robs a bank, taking 3 people hostage in an attempt to free his old partner in crime. This is the first film in a long time that made me both laugh and feel emotionally invested. While the plot sounds simple, it was unlike any crime drama I've ever watched. Check it out if you'd enjoy an original thriller.