As with many others, the film industry was hit hard by the Covid-19 outbreak. The global lockdowns and international travel restrictions placed productions on hold. Even when rules started to lift, life on film-sets was far from normal. The number of people allowed to be on set was slashed, and the cast and crew had to follow stringent social distancing laws as well as undertaking daily tests to ensure they were safe and fit to work. It has been a radical change in the way of working and one that has seen a shift in the types of stories that make it onto the screen. Films with large ensembles have taken a back seat, allowing films with smaller casts to shine. One such micro-casted production is Anders Rønnow Klarlund’s The Last Client.
Opening with a brutal abduction and enforced tortuous abortion, The Last Client instantly grabs the audience. The bold beginning is the work of a serial killer, one who has unsurprisingly caught the attention of the media. This killer has also garnered the interest of renowned psychologist Susanne Hartmann (Signe Egholm Olsen). Unbeknownst to Susanne, the killer is closer than she thinks…
Told almost entirely within the confines of Susanne’s office, The Last Client is a film that belongs to Susanne and her new client, Mark (Anton Hjejle). As Susanne settles in with Mark she is unaware of his identity. However, when conversation starts to tease the truth, Susanne finds herself in a battle of wills to survive. With so much onus on just these two characters, the performances become paramount to the film’s success. The work put on-screen by both Egholm Olsen and Hjejle is incredible. The Last Client is a dialogue-driven film and Hjejle especially has to deliver several huge monologues. The pair play effortlessly off of one another and immediately generate an aura of intimacy. With such accomplished acting and the intimate surroundings, The Last Client is one of those great films that would make an excellent stage adaptation. Were this cast to be kept, audiences would flock to be trapped in a room with them just so they could feel the electricity of their work first-hand.
The limited location doesn’t leave much room for dazzling cinematography. Rather than risk adding technical flourishes that would detract from the performances, the camera is kept still and steady. As the therapy session gets underway the camera begins to slowly tighten in. Simultaneously with the developing story, the camera moves away from the walls and wide shots of Susanne and Mark to get in closer. The camera spends a lot of time focused purely on Susanne and Mark’s faces; the camerawork mirrors the intimacy of the environment. By lingering solely on their faces, time is given to fully explore the emotions on display and further demonstrates the amazing talent of the cast.
After spending so much time locked into one location building up a palpable intense atmosphere, it’s a tad disappointing when the plot moves away from the room. The final act leaves the office behind and a lot of that painstakingly constructed tension with it. From a plot perspective, the change is necessary, but once the intimate bubble has been popped, the story starts to feel a little flat. Klarlund tries to bring the viewer around again with some wicked plot developments, but whilst these are fun to explore, they don’t quite have the anticipated impact.
There’s much more happening in The Last Client than simply a predator toying with their prey, but to say too much would spoil the film. So much of the enjoyment rests with watching these performances unfold and to get into too many details would taint the viewing experience. Given Susanne’s standing as a psychologist, one would be right to assume that key topics of psychology are discussed and explored. As with films, psychology is richly diverse in its study and readings and The Last Client raises some interesting stances in the historic nature-nurture debate amongst others.
The intricate performances by both Signe Egholm Olsen and Anton Hjejle prove that in the film world sometimes less is more. Proof that there can be some positive outcomes from the new way of working in the film industry, The Last Client is an absorbing and harrowing thriller.
The Last Client
Summary
Phenomenal performances from Signe Egholm Olsen and Anton Hjejle elevate what could have been a routine chamber-piece thriller into something more elegant, intimate, and dangerous.
The Last Client was reviewed at Arrow Video FrightFest 2022.
