‘An Honest Life’ (2025) Netflix Movie Review - Crime Doesn't Pay

Mikael Marcimain comes across as a "moody" filmmaker in An Honest Life/Ett Ärligt Liv. What I mean by this is that he prioritizes a certain feeling of pulsating mystery over conventional wrap-ups and endings. His images are definitely alive, and the way he displays the power dynamics between his characters not only feels smooth but also strangely hypnotic. Consider what happens between Simon (Simon Lööf) and his new rich roommates, Victor (Fabian Hedlund) and Ludvig (Christoffer Rigeblad). There's already an undercurrent of unease between them from the moment they first meet. Ludvig is still kind towards Simon; it's Victor who treats him like shit. At first, Victor tries to assert dominance by comparing his watch with that of Simon's (he might as well be comparing their dicks). A few scenes later, Victor asks Simon to "help him" prepare for a house party. During the party, it slowly becomes clear that Simon is being used as a waiter for the social gathering. Victor looks down on Simon, and he makes his feelings clear through the way he treats him. Victor, in a way, is a cartoonish, unidimensional prick. His function is to get on the nerves of the audience. But Marcimain, I suppose, is aware of this cliché. He turns a bug into a feature because of how he uses this cliché.

Now take Max (Nora Rios), who, in the broader sense, looks like an archetype of a femme fatale. She is beautiful, mysterious, and takes Simon on the path of danger and destruction. Max knows how to convert her body into a weapon to complete tasks like stealing a key for nefarious purposes. She, however, is no stock character. She follows a particular ideology and has clarity about her aims in life. Max is an anarchist who lives in a retired professor's house along with other people who share similar thoughts, similar minds. They all believe Simon has the potential to join their team. To test him, they make him steal expensive watches from a store - a task Simon completes reluctantly and successfully. The thrill of committing a crime, combined with the intoxication of Max's beauty, drives Simon away from law school and into the arms of the anarchists. Yet, Simon almost always exists in the middle. He neither fully commits to his education nor to the ideologies of his new family. He helps Max and her team, but he never belongs in their space - he seems detached from their surroundings. Simon's life resembles a pinball machine. There is chaos and conflict, which Marcimain films with simplicity.

Simon describes himself as a writer with nothing to write. I guess, the same "compliment" can be given to Linn Gottfridsson, who, ultimately, leaves us with no specifics and too many outlines. I have not read Joakim Zander's book, from which An Honest Life is adapted, but based on the film, it seems as if Marcimain has only captured the surface of an experience, not the real thing. The director has created a watchable (sometimes enjoyable) mood piece. Yet something crucial is missing from this film — perhaps a sense of fulfillment, satisfaction, or contentment — because when it ends, you are left feeling empty. An Honest Life offers no closure, no resolution. Throughout the story, Simon walks in and out of Max's circle and college life. However, we are unsure what effect the events have on him. Does he eventually drop out of law school? Does he publish his notebook? Given how much time Simon spends with Max and away from his studies, it's almost a miracle that he manages to pass an exam with grades that can be labeled as decent or okayish. When did he actually study? All Simon ends up learning is that the so-called Robin Hoods live a life of crime that's neither safe nor exciting. No shit. 

An Honest Life could have avoided presenting Victor and Ludvig as your typical fancy rich guys. Why not show them as people with money who also care about those who are not blessed financially? Why not display Victor as a level-headed boy rather than a bully? This would have generated drama from a mission involving the Ludvig home robbery. Simon could have experienced complex feelings about the mission due to his friendly relationship with Victor and Ludvig. This clash of different emotions (should I help Max, or should I value my kind roommates who care about me?) would have infused great juice into the narrative. Marcimain, though, misses out on this opportunity. What the filmmakers offer is Simon's remarks on a fatally injured maid, which sound obvious and unchallenging. There is a significant issue with An Honest Life, and it comes into focus at the very end when the story reaches the finish line. Marcimain and Gottfridsson shouldn't have made this film from Simon's perspective. He is nothing but a blip on Max's radar, which is why Max should have been the center of attention — consistently and from the beginning. With Simon in the spotlight, An Honest Life reveals itself to be merely a work of fine craftsmanship. With Max, it could have been vigorous, dramatic, explosively enticing.

Final Score- [5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times