A Day and a Half on Netflix review: A cliched but entertaining Netflix thriller

Released on September 1, 2023, Netflix's latest Swedish thriller, A Day and a Half, has the action and drama to keep viewers rooted to their spot. Directed by Fares Fares, the film was nothing short of brilliant as it manages to narrate an emotionally gripping story with much conviction and spectacular performances by its cast.

A Day and a Half was undoubtedly one of the best projects that came out of Netflix this year, and it would be the best for the streaming platform to focus on captivating projects like this.

According to Netflix, the official synopsis of A Day and a Half reads:

"To reunite with his daughter, Artan (Alexej Manvelov) takes his ex-wife Louise (Alma Pöysti) hostage and embarks on a thrilling and emotion-charged road trip with her and police officer Lukas (Fares Fares). The journey takes them through rural Sweden during a hot summer, all while having police on their heels."

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Netflix has struck gold with its new thriller, A Day and a Half

A Day and a Half is an emotionally charged film with several thrilling and shocking moments. Although the premise has been cliched, the best takeaway from this movie is that it shows how complex relationships can be and even how far and extreme a person can go to connect with someone they love.

The rollercoaster of emotions began with the introduction of a man named Artan, who arrived at a hospital and asked the receptionist where his ex-wife was. His intention was to kidnap his ex-wife, Louise, so that he could reunite with their daughter, Cassandra, who had been taken away from him.

A Day and a Half was convincing primarily because of one reason - the performances by the actors. Artan, played by Alexej Manvelov, brought overwhelming raw intensity to his performance and displayed the relentless pain of getting separated from her daughter. The desperation and struggle he showed was undoubtedly that of a father who was even willing to kill to get what he wanted.

Artan's wife, Louise, played by Alma Pöysti, was nothing short of brilliant. Her performance was captivating and powerful as she displayed a wide range of emotions while getting kidnapped by her ex-husband. The chemistry between the onscreen couple was impeccable as their complicated relationship truly kept the audience at the edge of their seats. Moreover, their interactions proved that their relationship was much deeper and layered than it looked on the surface.

The couple's journey gradually turned from being a physical one to an emotionally wrecking experience as they were forced to come face-to-face with their past and the reasons and choices they made that led to their untimely separation.

Along with Alexej Manvelov and Alma Pöysti, the supporting cast of Stina Ekblad, Annika Hallin, and others gave performances that only added depth to the emotional story. The complicated narrative had several layers, so the portrayal of the complexity was something that only the actors of high caliber could pull off. There are themes of heartbreak, redemption, forgiveness, and even second chances - all of which come together in the climax. As such, the overall experience is thought-provoking and stays with the viewers even after the credits roll.

Director Fares Fares made sure to provide a story that will be spoken about for years to come. A lingering feeling of stress, tension, and emotions remained throughout A Day and a Half as the story of Artan and Louise's journey moved at a steady pace. The film's run time is an hour and thirty-five minutes, and every second is worth the time. It did not overstay its welcome and certainly concluded when required.

Besides the acting and narrative structure, the cinematography, music, and dialog had been successful attempts to add to the tension in the movie throughout. There were zero monotonous sequences, and Netflix definitely deserves the credit for releasing a wonderful project.

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A Day and a Half is currently streaming on Netflix worldwide.