A slow-burn, sweltering Danish mystery that handles its tension like a tight wrestling hold, slowly tightening its grip until you are completely hooked

The last time we saw wrestling play such a visceral role and metaphor in Nordic cinema was in Milad Alami’s Opponent. In the new Danish series Suplex, the sport once again serves as a backdrop for a community on the brink of collapse.

We open in a school gymnasium where a group of male students are training under their coach, Lars (played with a simmering intensity by Jakob Cedergren). After being goaded by his coach, an incident leads to one of the students breaking the rules and brutally headbutting his opponent in the face. The student sulks off to a waiting jeep in the car park, driven by a menacing Jacob Lohmann, and the pair speed away. It’s an immediate, jarring introduction to a town where aggression lies just beneath the surface.

Lars is married to Charlotte, played by a magnificent Josephine Park in what might just be her finest, most complex performance to date. Charlotte is an incredibly hard nut to crack; as we watch her navigate her fractured life, Park keeps us entirely off-balance. Is Charlotte playing a calculated long game? Is she simply exhausted and worn out by grief? Or is she genuinely sleepwalking through a living nightmare in the middle of a sticky Danish heatwave?

The lines between the personal and the professional are completely blurred here. Charlotte treats all of Lars’ wrestling students like one big family, even eating together at their house. But there are deep-rooted issues poisoning the dinner table. When Charlotte leaves during the meal to speak to a potential “bit on the side,” our suspicions are confirmed—and so are Lars’.

In a remarkably tense showdown, Lars simply asks, “Are you having an affair?” Charlotte scoffs, asking if he’s out of his mind, before finally confessing.

Enter Jacob Lohmann’s character again, whose son has now gone missing. When questioned by the police, he drops loaded hints about Lars and Charlotte’s past—revealing a dark history that explains the deeply fractured relationships in the present.

While Suplex starts as a slow burn, the series rapidly picks up pace. The immaculate casting keeps you thoroughly engaged during the show’s quieter, more atmospheric moments. Complementing the performances is a fantastic, brooding score by Andreas Hald that keeps this haunting mystery under your skin.

As the town turns on Charlotte’s family when Lars is pulled in by the police as a suspect, the minutes tick away with a suffocating air of discomfort. Director Mads Mengel masterfully keeps us on edge in a beautifully subtle way. His shots linger just long enough to trigger you into trying to pull the pieces together yourself, swallowing you whole in the process.

Josephine Park delivers a career-best performance as Charlotte, balancing vulnerability and unpredictability throughout the series. Jakob Cedergren is equally impressive as Lars, portraying a man struggling to keep control as suspicion mounts around him. Together they create a fascinating dynamic that keeps viewers questioning every motive.

Suplex combines an intriguing mystery with strong character work and an oppressive atmosphere that lingers long after the credits roll. Fans of Danish drama and Nordic thrillers will find plenty to enjoy in this latest Walter Presents acquisition.

Stream the Suplex boxset on Walter Presents via Channel 4 streaming from 3rd July