Writer: Abi Morgan
Cast: Stellan Skarsgård, Nicola Walker, Lesley Manville, Adeel Akhtar, Eddie Marsan
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 349 min
Special Features: ‘The Making Of River’, ‘Creating Manifests’, ‘Being River’, Deleted Scenes
You’d be forgiven for presuming Stellan Skarsgård had starred in his fair share of cop shows. With Scandinavian crime dramas all the rage in recent years and the Swedish star possessing an air of gravitas seemingly perfect for a Detective role, it’s an unquestionably fair assumption. Yet despite a career spanning more than five decades and notable roles in the likes of Good Will Hunting, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Avengers Assemble to name just a few, the Swedish star has managed to avoid that particular genre until now. That being said, River certainly isn’t your standard British crime drama.
The first foray into the genre for in-demand writer Abi Morgan (Suffragette, Shame, The Iron Lady), River follows troubled detective John River (Skarsgård) as he comes to terms with the death of a beloved colleague. Seeking answers to her unsolved murder, River struggles to control his fragile mental state and is haunted by manifestations of the dead.
Managing to merge psychodrama and British crime series, River is an interesting concept, with the it’s Nordic lead suffering constant confusion, self-doubt, hallucinations and even abuse from an Aristotle-quoting 19th century serial killer (played by a menacing Eddie Marsan). It’s very different from your archetypal procedural British crime drama, touching on rarely explored themes like societal attitudes towards depression and schizophrenia. Such a shift is a refreshing change, though some of the series’ more abstract elements could also alienate some viewers.
Nicola Walker, Lesley Manville and Adeel Akhtar are all on good form, bringing a warmth to proceedings that would greatly be missed, but it’s the show’s leading man Stellan Skarsgård that is key to River’s success, providing a fantastic performance as the struggling detective. Charismatic as always, Skarsgård portrays the titular character perfectly, with the intelligent introvert John River ultimately a vulnerable outsider, struggling with feelings of heartache, loneliness and anger. It’s powerful stuff, with the nuances of his performance and seemingly effortless chemistry with Nicola Walker’s Stevie a pleasure to behold.
The show suffers from the occasional misstep but that shouldn’t take away from what it achieves. River isn’t perfect but, much like the series’ protagonist, it doesn’t need to be. A surreal, intriguing crime drama that doesn’t shy away from mental illness or heartbreak, River is undoubtedly a success, adding something bold and new to a genre sometimes guilty of playing it safe.
River Season One is available to buy on DVD box-set from 30th November.
