Dead End (2022) is a Polish series that follows a group of individuals who accidentally switch cars with a bank robber and then try to figure out what to do with the money. The series is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Leon and his daughter Dianka are driving to the Czech Republic and they have two passengers along with them, Klara and Wojtek. Emil has just robbed a bank and is in an identical car to them.
They end up swapping cars at the gas station and Emil goes after them while Leon and his group disagree on what to do with the money. A prostitute named Celina capitalises on their disorganized nature to steal the money herself.
Everyone converges at a motel where Celina’s pimp, Adrian is also thrown into the mix as betrayal is the name of the game. Everyone is after the money and suspicious of the other but they also learn certain lessons about themselves through this ordeal.
Performances
Juliusz Chrzastowski and Maja Wolska play the father-daughter duo of Leon and Dianka. Their portrayal of a dysfunctional duo who don’t get along well even though they care for each other is extremely grounded and accurate.
Anna Ilczuk plays Klara, the woman who is nosy and likes to order people around and humiliate them even though she doesn’t have a great life herself. Ilczuk is annoying but in a good way as her character is suspicious of everything and greedy as well.
Michal Sikorski is Wojtek, the submissive catfish who is constantly humiliated by his mother and is lying to a woman online about who he truly is. Sikorski does well as the erratic Wojtek who has a couple of moments of courage but always returns to his true nature.
Lukasz Garlicki plays Emil the bank robber and his performance is the most impressive as he mainly gives a physical performance without having too many lines of dialogue.
Positives
The story is brilliantly written. The way it twists and turns and how all the characters interact with other serve up a great viewing experience.
The sombre hue of the entire series and the toned-down colour gradient also acts as a character throughout. The final scene in the back room with the red highlights is magnificent to watch.
The sound in Dead End fits both genres perfectly as it encapsulates the mood of a comedy while also maintaining the tension of a crime thriller simultaneously.
In fact, the director deserves credit for maintaining that balance in genres expertly. The series never feels too silly or ridiculous despite the events taking place on the screen.
Negatives
The occasional split-screen perspective of different characters is an inspired idea but is actually distracting at times as the viewer isn’t sure which side to focus on.
Verdict
Dead End (2022) is an easy-to-watch series which moves at a brisk pace and can be easily binged due to the short run time and the quality of the narrative. There is humour, violence, family drama and betrayal as the characters go on a literal and metaphorical journey that teaches them some important lessons.
Dead End
Director: Jakub Piatek, Grzegorz Jaroszuk
Date Created: 2022-12-01 13:30
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Also Read: Dead End (2022) ending explained: What happens to the stolen money?