Stockholm

Based on true events and set in 1973, Stockholm follows several bank employees as they find themselves growing more and more sympathetic to the bank robber (Ethan Hawke’s Kaj Hansson) holding them hostage. It’s an intriguing, somewhat novel premise that’s employed to watchable yet mostly disposable effect by Robert Budreau, as the writer/director has infused Stockholm with a lackadaisical feel that generally prevents the viewer from embracing the narrative or characters – which is a shame, certainly, given that the various actors are uniformly quite compelling here. (This is especially true of Hawke’s charismatic and completely captivating turn as the oddball protagonist.) The movie’s less-than-engrossing vibe is perpetuated by Budreau’s pervasively lighthearted take on the material, and there’s little doubt, too, that Stockholm, even at 92 minutes, drags in spots and suffers from an overall atmosphere of padding (ie the film feels like a short that’s been clumsily expanded to feature length). Still, Stockholm nevertheless comes off as a good-enough look into the origins of a real-life psychological phenomenon (ie Stockholm Syndrome).

**1/2 out of ****