Netflix's 'Love & Anarchy' aka 'Kärlek & Anarki' Review: Swedish dramedy has flirty dares driving its edgy plotline
Spoilers for 'Love & Anarchy'
The Swedish comedy consists of eight episodes about half an hour each and is packed with subtle and not-so-subtle sexual innuendos and all is definitely not PG. It being short is definitely one of its pluses, but there is no real content there - not something we haven't seen before - yet it does manage to bring a thrill. It follows the life of Sofie (Ida Engvoll) who seems to have a set life with a husband and two kids. Unfortunately for her, her secret trips to the bathroom to masturbate gets her in trouble when she decides to do it in her new office after work hours. She gets caught by the IT temp Max (Björn Mosten), who takes a picture of her and then asks her to go to lunch - only then he deletes the picture. While that works out great, Sophie keeps his phone, and from there on starts a game of challenges that lead to interesting dares and consequences.
The dares between the duo are the center of attention, and through that, we see quite a lot of complications, character development, and at times plain entertainment. The best thing about this series, is the element of surprise. While you may think that you can predict the upcoming scene or plotline, it doesn't seem to be the case. International releases on Netflix are usually big hits, and while this may not top the charts, we would say that it's definitely out there. In simple words, it's fun adult material to binge-watch on a weekend. It doesn't disappoint, it's hilarious and has enough adult content to be marked R rated. While the series can be seen as a cyclical narrative, it does have a way of keeping your attention. We recommend that you watch it in the original language (Swedish) audio for better flare, as the actors are simply amazing in their roles. It's a comedy that features two actors whose chemistry definitely shines through via their characters. Sofie is a feisty wife and mother, married to a commercial director named Johan who's personality makes us think she deserves a lot more. She's professional - besides the dares with the IT man - and is a consultant that aids business secure a bright future by making major and minor changes. While we'd love to explain the games she plays with the IT guy, it's impossible to not take the surprise or the thrill away by revealing them.
Besides the central narrative, we see glimpses of woman's rights, history falsification, cultural animosity, and social clashes attributed to characters that are also part of the publishing house Sofie consults with - amongst many other things of course. From Sofie's husbands, to her colleagues, somehow all become part of this little game, without even knowing it. The show doesn't take itself too seriously, and that maybe the actual beauty of it. The duo's challenges seem harmless at first but then progress to effectively challenge the norms of society. But, the challenges get intensely daring, and then the consequences have to be dealt with. We'd say that if you have nothing to watch this weekend or even a workday, 'Love & Anarchy' might do the trick. It's edgy, audacious, and never lagging in its thrill - it's just not for family time.
'Love & Anarchy' is available to stream on Netflix now.