This six part Swedish-language crime thriller is inspired by “Easy Money” the movie trilogy starring Joel Kinnaman, which were also based on Jens Lapidus‘ Snabba Cash. It takes place in Stockholm, ten years after the events of films and stars Evin Ahmad (Quicksand, The Rain), Alexander Abdallah, Ali Alarik, Olle Sarri, Dada Fungula Bozela and Jozef Wojciechowicz (Z.E). With Jesper Ganslandt (438 Days), and Måns Månsson (The Yard) directing, and Oskar Söderlund (Rebecka Martinsson) as head writer.

Premise: Leya, a young single mother trying to break into the startup business. up. In this bustling environment where the quest for fame and money is extremely violent, Leya is ready to do anything to succeed. But the entrepreneurial jet set as well as the criminal world is more brutal, chaotic and ruthless than ever. When these two worlds collide, loyalty, friendships and business partners will all be tested in the never-ending quest for easy money.

Review: The writing here is smart, because it manages to touch on several hot topic issues with enough subtlety and tact. I was wary at first, particularly when it came to one character, Tim. I wasn’t sure what the show was trying to say with him but as the story progressed it became clearer, at least to me. It came down to decision making.

The series provides three different perspectives in Leya, Salim, and Tim who have all made one questionable decision at one point that snowballed into many others. Whether it was ambition, love, or naivete that motivated that decision it paints a grim picture. The corporate world and the criminal underworld mirror each other in this show, in terms of how they work, and what the people in both camps have to do to succeed.

The show is not rushed, it takes its time to establish its protagonists and it pays off as the tension builds with each episode. Leya, Salim, and Tim are very sympathetic characters whose lives converge as they are forced or pressured to do things that they don’t want to do. With these characters and their backgrounds, there are some social commentaries that are made that are louder than if they were spoken aloud. Sometimes just the make up of he characters in a particular scene and/or in a position of power speaks volumes.

Snabba Cash is intense, grounded with a talented cast that makes it all work. It’s not formulaic per say but the major themes of this story are universal enough to have a broad appeal.

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