Pusher

1996

1h 50m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

829

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52 Images

Action

Crime

Drama

A drug pusher grows increasingly desperate after a botched deal leaves him with a large debt to a ruthless drug lord.

Directors

Nicolas Winding Refn

Writers

Jens Dahl(screenplay by)

Nicolas Winding Refn(screenplay by)

Louise Trampedach(storyboard by)

Stars

Kim Bodnia

Mads Mikkelsen

Laura Drasbæk

See production, box office & company info

Top cast

Frank

Tonny

Vic

Milo

Radovan

Hasse

Branko

Rita

Mike

Brian

Junkie

Uro'er

Uro'er

Mikkel

Lasse

Anders

Mor

Steff

Directors

Nicolas Winding Refn

Writers

Jens Dahl(screenplay by)

Nicolas Winding Refn(screenplay by)

Louise Trampedach(storyboard by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

“Frank” (Kim Bodnia) makes a decent living dealing drugs with his skinhead pal “Tonny” (Mads Mikkelsen) until one deal goes a bit pear shaped. That doesn’t go down so well with his supplier, “Milo” (Zlatlo Buric) but when you’re €45k in the hole, you might as well try to deal your way out of it so he promises to make that cash back from the next deal. That goes even worse when the cops intervene and the cocaine ends up in a lake. He’s released from custody, takes his revenge on his erstwhile pal who was a better runner when they were nicked and then heads to his boss to explain that he’s now even more in debt. He is given a little more time but his options are dwindling, his friends likewise and his already borderline sociopathic behaviour is becoming as much a threat to himself as to the people he turns on in desperation. On the face of it, there’s nothing especially innovative about this but as you get into it there’s a lot from Bodnia’s performance here that works. Subtle seems an odd word to use given the activities that goes on, but there is some subtlety here as his character shows signs of “Jekyll and Hyde” syndrome - especially when galvanised by the impressively odious Buric who brings something of the psychotically sleazy to his portrayal. Why is it the kingpin’s in these sort of dramas are always just more toxic versions of “Ratso” from “Midnight Cowboy” (1969)? There’s plenty of action, but precious little graphic violence portrayed as this man’s spiral of misfortune and bad judgement risks the lives of himself and those close. This is a grim indictment of an underground industry that prays on the addicted remorselessly, and personally I consider this as authentic and compelling as anything made on the other side of the Atlantic.

Geronimo196726 Jan, 2026