EASY MONEY III: LIFE DELUXE

Sweden, 2013, 127 minutes, Colour.
Matias Varela, Joel Kinnaman, Depan Cukic.
Directed by Jens Jonsson.

The Easy Money films are based on novels by Jens Lapidus.

The first film introduced the key characters, Jorge with his Latin American background, a drug chief who finds himself in prison and released; the first film focuses on J W, a young man from a successful family who gets caught up with money and drugs; and a group of Eastern European gangsters, living in Sweden, involved in drug rackets.

With the second film, one sympathetic character is, unfortunately, dead, after making friends with JW in prison. Jorge is still active. Radovan, from Eastern Europe is also active.

In this third episode, the film focuses principally on Jorge, his planning of an ultimate robbery, his attraction towards a young woman and wanting to provide for her. The robbery is an elaborate set piece. JW does not feature so much but is concerned about his sister and her death, goes to Los Angeles in pursuit of her. Radovan wants to move out of Sweden back home, is working with his strong-minded daughter and a young man who is part of the team, but is actually an undercover policeman.

Suffice it to say that the daughter wins out at the end while Jorge achieves his dream. JW is dead.

1. The impact of the first films? This film bringing the trilogy to a conclusion? Drawing on the plot, the characters, previous interactions? Complexity?

2. Swedish settings, the criminal world, the drug world, the drug gangs at their headquarters? Kitchens, apartments? The elaborate heist sequence? Contrast with Los Angeles, the clubs, the desert? The luxury resorts at the end? The musical score?

3. Jorge‘s story, his past, background, his sister, pregnancy, being in prison, getting out, pensions, the camaraderie with the Eastern European criminal, his death? The plans for the heist, his motivation? Working in the kitchen, the new girlfriend, together, the promise of retirement? The elaborate heist, the confusion? His seeming death? Ultimate success? At the resort?

4. Radovan, Eastern European criminals, gangs, in Sweden, wanting to move? His daughter? The presence of Martin, his cover, police? Relationship of Martin to Radovan, his daughter? Radovan’s death?

5. JW, his past story and its complications, in Los Angeles, searching for his sister, meeting her friend, the story, Radovan, the drugs, Los Angeles, ambitions, sexual relationships? The death? JW in the desert, his being shot?

6. The character of Radovan’s daughter, strong? With her father, with Martin? With the gangster associates? The discovery of the truth – and her ultimately being in control?