Michael Nyqvist Movies

Twilight series star Taylor Lautner stars in director John Singleton's thriller about a teen who finds himself in mortal danger after realizing that his entire childhood has been built on lies. Realizing that the people who raised him aren't his real parents after stumbling across a childhood photo of himself on a website devoted to missing children, the frightened teen flees for his life as FBI agents Frank Burton (Frank Molina) and Sandra Burns (Antonique Smith) race to protect him and uncover the truth about his mysterious past. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Author Stieg Larsson's "Millennium Trilogy" winds to a close with The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, director Daniel Alfredson's adaptation of the best-selling novel following punky protagonist Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) as she fights to prove that she's innocent of committing multiple murders. As Lisbeth lies in intensive care, the corrupt officials in high office attempt to take advantage of her incapacitated state by accusing her of murder. But fiercely independent Lisbeth isn't about to play the scapegoat, and the more her accusers work to ruin her life, the harder she and her loyal friend Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) must push back to prove them wrong. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A discredited journalist and a mysterious computer hacker discover that even the wealthiest families have skeletons in their closets while working to solve the mystery of a 40-year-old murder. Inspired by late author Stieg Larsson's successful trilogy of books, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo gets under way as Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander are briefed in the disappearance of Harriet Vanger, whose uncle suspects she may have been killed by a member of their own family. The deeper Mikael and Lisbeth dig for the truth, however, the greater the risk of being buried alive by members of the family who will go to great lengths to keep their secrets tightly sealed. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A self-destructive housewife takes what may be her final step into the abyss in this independent psychological drama. Nancy Stockwell (Maria Bello) is a woman edging into her forties who has fallen into a deep and prolonged state of depression, finding her only solace in self-inflicted pain. Nancy has grown weary of her relationship with her husband, Albert (Rufus Sewell), and one day he comes home from work to find a note in which Nancy says she's decided to visit an old friend for a few days. When Nancy doesn't call after several days, Albert begins to worry that something is wrong, and he soon learns that Nancy hasn't told him the truth. Nancy has struck up an on-line relationship with Louis Farley (Jason Patric), who has a passion for violent sex, and she has decided to meet with him in person, but she has more in mind than just a fling -- she believes that Louis is the man who can end her misery by killing her. Also featuring Amy Brenneman as Nancy's analyst, Downloading Nancy was the first English-language feature from Swedish filmmaker Johan Renck. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A man finds the road back to happiness is long and difficult after losing his wife and child in this drama from Sweden. Lasse (Michael Nyqvist) is a contented man with a loving wife and two healthy children until an auto accident claims the lives of his spouse and his youngest son. The death takes a terrible toll on Lasse, and while his teenage son Jonas (Anastasios Soulis) tries to help him get through the days, much of the time he'd prefer to stay in bed rather than face the world, and eventually he attempts suicide. Jonas's grandparents (Sten Ljunggren and Anita Wall) are uncertain about Lasse's ability to look after his son, and look into taking custody of Jonas; Lasse, however, wants another chance to reconnect with Jonas and reality, and they travel to Gothenburg to spend a few weeks at the family's seaside vacation house. Lasse emotionally connects with Simon (Philip Zanden) and Lotta (Catherine Hansson), a couple next door who help him sort out his feelings of loss and grief, and Jonas enjoys a youthful romance with beautiful Helena (Moa Gammel). However, when the grandparents pay a visit to celebrate midsummer, Lasse goes on a drunken bender and they become convinced he's beyond help. Underbara Alskade (aka Suddenly) was the first feature film from writer and director Johan Brisinger. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The plight of displaced Finnish children sent to Sweden and Denmark to escape the horrors of World War II are explored in director Klaus Härö's tale of a young boy failing to adapt to his strange, and sometimes harsh, new surroundings. Following the death of his father, nine-year-old Eero (Topi Majaniemi) is sent by his mother to live with a foster family in rural Sweden for the duration of the war. Eero is begrudgingly accepted by a surrogate mother who had been hoping for a young girl to help with the chores, and he's mocked by his classmates for his frightened reaction to passing planes. Eero's already troubled childhood is further complicated when his resentful foster mother takes it upon herself to act as a filter for his mother's incoming letters. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

An internationally renowned Swedish conductor returns to his childhood village and agrees to help the local church choir hone their singing skills. The harder Daniel works draws out the singers' hidden inner talents, the more he realizes just what he's been missing by living in the big city. Before long he's made new friends, and found a new love. A heartfelt tale of inspiration and discovery, As It Is In Heaven was Sweden's official submission for Best Foreign Film at the 2005 Academy Awards. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In the tradition of The Exorcist, London Voodoo tells the story of a average family who have their lives turned upside-down in a horrifying fashion when they discover a voodoo grave beneath their new house. Sara Stewart stars as Sarah, the family matriarch who is overtaken by the ghost of a voodoo princess. Written and directed by Robert Pratten, the film was honored with awards at both the 2004 Fearless Tales Genre Fest and the 2004 Boston International Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Babies are supposed to bring families together, but the lack of one is doing just the opposite for one hapless couple in this domestic comedy from Sweden. Johan (Jonas Karlsson) is a twenty-something with no particular ambitions in life who is living with his wife Karin (Johanna Sallsstrom) on a farm run by his father Henrik (Ralph Carlsson). Henrik wants Johan to take over the farm some day, but while he's willing to work there until something better happens along, he's not sure he wants to make it his life's work. But John's problems with Henrik are small potatoes compared to his troubles with Karin; the couple has decided they want to have a child, but Karin has been unable to conceive, and as they try one medical treatment after another in hopes of putting Karin on the nest, their marriage starts to fray at the edges. Most of the cast and production staff on Hans och Hennes also worked on the popular Swedish television series The Confession. While the film's English title is Making Babies, the film's original title literally translates as His and Hers. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The second feature from Lukas Moodysson, who directed the internationally acclaimed Fucking Åmål, Tillsammans is the tale of life on a Stockholm commune in the mid-'70s. After suffering more than her share of abuse from her husband, Rolf (Michael Nyqvist), Elisabeth (Lisa Lindgren) takes her two children, Stefan (Sam Kessel) and Eva (Emma Samuelsson), to a commune run by her brother Göran (Gustav Hammarsten). Life at the commune is crowded with people with laid-back attitudes towards sex, nudity, and recreational drug use, prompting plenty of political debate. Göran's partner, Lena (Anja Lundkvist), is a particular proponent of free-spirited bed-hopping, something Göran doesn't really like but tolerates. Lena duly gets involved with the rebellious Erik (Olle Sarri) and finds fulfillment in the form of her first orgasm, something that leads her to confess to Göran that she was always faking it with him. Meanwhile, various dramas are at work amongst the other commune members, including the once-married Lasse (Ola Norell) and Anna (Jessica Liedberg) (who split up when Anna announced she was a lesbian) and Klas (Shanti Roney), whose advances to Lasse are continually rebuffed. The goings-on of the commune are observed and commented on by a pair of neighbors, Margit (Therese Brunnander) and Ragner (Claes Hartelius), whose marriage is so lackluster that Ragner masturbates compulsively. Their son, the fat and miserable Fredrik (Henrik Lundström), befriends Elisabeth's daughter, Eva, who longs to have a family again. When Rolf appears on the scene seeking reconciliation, it seems Eva may get her wish. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

Filmmaker Lisa Ohlin, known for her TV work and short films, directed this Swedish drama. Author Thomas (Johan Hison Kjellgren) argues with his wife, visits a bar, and runs into his childhood friend Hoffman (Krister Henriksson), now a cancer-ridden alcoholic. The two haven't seen each other in 35 years. Hoffman recalls Thomas' play Waiting for a Tenor and suggests they film it with Hoffman in the leading role -- the opera-lover Henning. Thomas finds funding, and they collaborate on a screenplay, set during the summer of 1961, recalling their own childhood experiences. Ohlin intertwines the present with the past -- when Thomas' father Henning, his wife, and Thomas are at their summer house, and the father promises his son that an internationally famous Swedish tenor will soon visit. The film combines color (present-day sequences) with black and white (childhood scenes). ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi