FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT YET SEEN THE CHESTNUT MAN, THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW.

Lost in the Reel’s Non-Spoiler video review for The Chestnut Man.

Soren Sveistrup is the Danish mastermind behind the series The Killing, which was adapted to an AMC show and picked up later to be finished by Netflix.  That bleak murder mystery series never found the audience it deserved, but I truly hope that the same will not be said about his new offering The Chestnut Man.  This nuanced and captivating slow-burn story will fly by for all of the binge-watchers out there who can’t get enough of their crime shows.  And even though, at the end of the day, The Chestnut Man might be a bit forgettable, some of the imagery here will stick with you long after it’s over.

WHAT IS THE CHESTNUT MAN ALL ABOUT?

  • DANICA CURCIC in The Chestnut Man. Courtesy of Netflix.

The series follows Rosa Hartung, a member of parliament returning to work after a year off, because of the murder of her young daughter.  On the same day, an investigator named Naia Thulin finds a woman brutally murdered with her hand severed off.  Next to her body, is that of a Danish child’s handmade toy… a chestnut man.  When the forensics come in, they find that Rosa’s supposedly dead daughter’s fingerprints are all over the small toy.  A string of women continue to be found murdered, and Naia Thulin must race against time to figure out how this chestnut man is connected and if Rosa’s daughter might still be alive.

As a huge fan of the murder mystery genre, I always get excited for limited series like this.  And Netflix has been one of the leading producers of crime television… so, The Chestnut Man certainly caught my eye.  Denmark has also been on their A-Game in the last couple of years, with some amazing films and television shows… really bringing the country into the forefront in the entertainment industry.  I am pleased to say that The Chestnut Man is another excellent Nordic crime series that had me riveted from beginning to end.

DOES THE SLOW-BURN APPROACH WORK?

  • IBEN DORNER in The Chestnut Man. Courtesy of Netflix.

The show starts off a bit slow, setting up the complex cast of characters, somber mood, and complicated web of clues in a way that really gets you increasingly invested.  But, once everything is set into place, The Chestnut Man continues to build until you are on the edge of your seat for its explosive conclusion.  Although impatient audiences might not love this approach, if it is done well, in an intentional way; as this show is able to accomplish… All of the hard-hitting moments hit harder because they are earned.  There were scenes in The Chestnut Man that gave me chills and sent shivers down my spine.  Because the suspense and thrills have been slowly built, when they reach their boiling point, you will barely be able to breathe.  

WHAT COULD HAVE MADE THE SERIES BETTER?

  • MIKKEL BOE FøLSGAARD and DANICA CURCIC in The Chestnut Man. Courtesy of Netflix.

There are a couple of things that could have made this limited series better, however.  Although there is a lot of strong character development here, some of the cast feels cold and distant.  Of course, this is how many characters can come off in dark noirs like this.  But, I yearned to reach these people in a more emotionally resonant way… and I do think two more episodes would have done the trick with this.  I have long been critical of Netflix’s six-episode runs; and I think The Chestnut Man also suffers because of its limited length here.  If we had gotten two more hours to build up these characters and subplots a bit more; I feel like this series would have been more impactful.

HOW DISTURBING IS THE CHESTNUT MAN?

  • Still from The Chestnut Man. Courtesy of Netflix.

Despite my small qualms, The Chestnut Man not only thrills, but terrifies.  It’s a grisly murder mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end… and it also tackles difficult themes that will be very disturbing for viewers.  I won’t give anything away here, but audiences will be sickened by some of the twists in the story.  It’s not always an easy watch, but just as in films like Se7en and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as well as series like Broadchurch and Sveistrup’s own, The Killing… The Chestnut Man finds humanity within the depravity.

The Chestnut Man is streaming NOW on Netflix.

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