Netflix’s recent Nordic Noir series, The Are Murders, an adaptation of Viveca Sten’s thriller novels, revolves around two different cases of murder mystery set in the Swedish town of Are, and the investigating detective duo are the connecting factor between them. The first case, which concerns teenager Amanda Halvorsen’s murder, is inspired by “Hidden in Snow” and focuses on the disturbing real-world crisis of immigrant exploitation and human trafficking. On the other hand, the second one, the investigation into Johan Andersson’s murder, unearths deep-seated familial issues and relationship troubles as the reasons behind the act. A common factor in both these cases is the way they challenge the existing idealized image of community spirit and familial values, which allows the devious criminal elements to conceal themselves and beguile others. The cast and crew involved in the series emulated this factor very well through their performances, strengthening the narrative structure in the process.
Hanna Ahlander Played By Carla Sehn
Polish-Swedish actor Carla Sehn started her acting career as a child actor in a stage performance of Henrik Ibsen’s famous A Doll’s House in Stockholm, where she had the chance to perform with prolific theater actors like Sven Wollter. Through the years, Carla Sehn has portrayed acclaimed roles in short films, Swedish dramas, and Netflix series, namely Half Brother, Stammisar, and Love and Anarchy—establishing herself as a prominent face in the Swedish acting circuit. In The Are Murders, she plays the role of Detective Hamna Ahlander, a perceptive, morally upright investigator who struggles to separate personal ethics from professional responsibilities. Hanna used to work in the Domestic Violence Unit in the Stockholm police, from where she was suspended after an internal investigation was launched against her for harassing her colleagues. Additionally, Hanna was dumped by her boyfriend, Christian, and was evicted from their apartment as well. This was the reason she came to Are to spend a few days with her sister during festival season, to find a bit of respite from troubles in her personal life.
The reason Hanna found herself at the crosshairs of an internal investigation was because she refused to tolerate police corruption and toxic patriarchal norms. As Hanna reveals later, she came across a fellow cop who allegedly had a role to play in his wife’s murder, and to Hanna’s absolute disgust, two of her colleagues corroborated that cop’s false alibi, letting him go scot-free as the charges brought against him were dropped. Hanna couldn’t just accept this wanton abuse of power and continued to confront the culprit in question, resulting in crooked men in higher authorities handing her a temporary suspension and launching an investigation against her. The reason as to why Hanna’s longtime boyfriend, Christian, broke up with her remains unknown, but it might be related to her predicament in her professional life. Unlike Hanna, Christian moved on easily after the separation, hinting at the possibility that he wasn’t all that different from the typical men Hanna had had to confront in her life. During the investigation of Amanda Halvorsen’s murder, Hanna came across Detective Daniel Lindkog, and after initial conflict between the two, Daniel became a supportive friend to her. A possibility of romantic entanglement between them was hinted at in the narrative, which didn’t come to pass at the end. Hanna’s sympathetic nature was perceivable in the way she comforted Amanda’s mother and helped Rebecka to escape from her toxic husband, Ole. But at the same time, she didn’t let sentiment cloud her sense of judgment—as seen in the way she was able to reveal the truth of Johan Andersson’s murder by seeing through the ruse of his grieving wife, Marion.
Amanda Halvorsen Played Freddie Mosten Jacob
Swedish actor Freddie Mosten Jacob gained prominence after her role in the short film, Catwalk, and has since acted in drama series like LIMBO, Veronika, and The Restaurant. In the series, she portrayed the character of Amanda Halvorsen, a teenage law student whose strong sense of justice drove her to help her friend, Ebba, and cleaning service operative, Zuhra—both of whom were victims of toxic patriarchal practices. However, just like it happened with Hanna, Amanda too found herself cornered by a powerful, crooked man, Bosse, only in her case the confrontation proved to be fatal. Despite having a brief screen time, the character of Amanda left a mark in the minds of the viewers and made her demise all the more tragic.
Daniel Lindkog Played By Kardo Razzazi
Swedish actor Kardo Razzazi has previously acted in series like Rheingold, Peacemaker, and Top Dog, and in The Are Murders, he portrayed the character of Detective Daniel Lindkog, a vital member of Are PD who is assigned to the investigation of the murders that shook the small town. Dedicated to his service and loyal to his team, Daniel is initially quite skeptical of Hanna after learning part of her recent professional history, until he begins to appreciate her skills and forms a strong bond with her. Daniel eventually faces trouble in balancing his professional duties and responsibilities as a family man, which creates a minor rift between him and his wife, Ida. However, by the end, the couple reconciles, and Daniel realigns his priorities as he chooses to shift his attention to his family.
Miscellaneous Characters
Aside from the notable lead roles, the supporting cast of The Are Murders did a good job with the roles they were given. Charlie Gustafsson’s portrayal as Anton, a fellow investigator of Daniel whose fear to reveal his sexual orientation is due to professional entanglements, is quite sympathetic. Frida Argento’s role as Amanda’s best friend Ebba brings forth a vulnerable and gullible teenage mind, whereas Frederik Soderholm’s portrayal as licentious teacher Lasse, who grooms teenage students, made him quite a despicable character. Bjorn Elgerd’s portrayal as Ole, an abusive pastor who didn’t hesitate to raise hands on his pregnant wife, shows the vile depth of patriarchy.
