In Finnish drama Freezing Embrace, family ties are questioned, long-held loyalties are tested and even one’s memory cannot be trusted. Is blood really thicker than water in the seemingly idyllic river village of Porvoo?
Clever and compelling, Freezing Embrace takes its viewers on an intriguing journey, entwining a classic crime drama narrative with a thoughtful examination of the prejudices and complex questions that can surround mental health and family ties.
Based on the popular Detective Hautalehto book series by Christian Rönnbacka, the eight-part TV series is directed by Jussi award winner Petri Kotwica (Black Ice) and stars Mikko Leppilampi as the eponymous Chief Inspector Antti Hautalehto.
A dedicated and steadfast detective, Hautalehto also has an odd penchant for snow jogging in socks. Hautalehto is standing in as Chief Inspector and leads a dedicated squad of detectives, albeit with a growing list of unsolved cases.
It is Christmas time in the charming village of Porvoo. The snow is soft and fluffy, and rosy-cheeked children sing traditional Christmas carols in the pretty village square. Yuletide cheer is nigh but, as all lovers of good crime drama are well aware, something sinister is lurking, here, beneath the surface of Porvoo’s river.
Mikko Leppilampi in ‘Freezing Embrace’. Source: Solar Films/Marek Sabogal
Hautalehto has hired a new recruit, Tero Lindström (Onni Parviainen), the estranged son of a longstanding and diligent squad member, Tarmo Lindström (Antti Reini). Tero gets off to an inauspicious start on his first day, immediately having an ill-advised encounter with a violent criminal, who then ends up in the village river. Rumours begin swirling that Tero is unstable, but as Tarmo insists, Hautalehto has nothing to be concerned about. He has, after all, passed the required psychological tests. Hautalehto agrees, brushing off the incident and telling his team, “We need more guys like Tero. He’s a man of action. Not some pencil pusher.”
Freezing Embrace is a thoughtful and subtly dark exploration of the prejudices and unconscious bias held against those who suffer with mental health issues. There’s an interesting parallel to be drawn between Tero’s rumoured instability and the Chief of Police Karl Berglund, who is ostensibly on extended leave for the flu. However, Hautalehto discovers upon visiting, that he is in fact struggling to cope after the sudden death of his wife, turning to alcohol in an effort to navigate the pain.
The narrative deftly examines what impact traumatic events, whether inflicted by others or by circumstance, have in shaping the lives of Hautalehto’s team and how the various characters navigate them. It asks us what transgressions we’re willing to overlook in the name of love and loyalty, and, as we soon discover, on Hautalehto’s team, nearly everyone has something to hide.
Chief of Police Karl Berglund (Teijo Eloranta) is hiding his struggles. Source: Solar Films/Harri Räty
“Good morning to you, Antti. And to your hooves”, Officer Jonna Holm (Oona Airola) says with some disgust as Hautalehto unceremoniously props his feet on a meeting room desk and attempts to bandage his frostbitten toes.
Freezing Embrace is as much compelling crime drama as it is a skilful exploration of the human psychological condition; from the inherent oddness of Hautalehto’s snow sock jogging, to the inner turmoil of Chief Inspector Karl Berglund and the troubled existence of Porvoo’s resident unsheltered man, ‘Kartsa the Cane’.
When a young soccer player is reported missing after his team Christmas party, the river is dredged as part of the search effort and the team get more than they bargained for when they pull, not one, but two badly decomposed bodies from the water. Hautalehto’s team conclude there is a serial killer on the loose and they are in a race against time to protect the town and apprehend the killer.
The freezing embrace of the river. Source: Solar Films/Marek Sabogal
But as the investigation continues, so do the murders, with young men pulled from the river with frightening frequency. The evidence mounts and when all signs to the killer begin to point internally, suspicion and fear threaten to tear the team apart. Hautalehto must then grapple with the unthinkable and is forced to question the integrity of his most loyal friends and colleagues. Who can he trust if he cannot trust his team?
Part detective crime drama and part psychological thriller, Freezing Embrace takes a refreshing and considered approach to the exploration of mental health and trauma, with enough compelling twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing until the final scenes.
More from The Guide
Top new series in May 2023
