Medium: Mini-Series
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery Thriller
First aired: 2021
Inspiration: Anxious People by Fredrik Bachman
Closeness to the book: 2.5/5
Rating as a TV series: 4/5
Overall rating: 3.5/5
The Netflix limited series Anxious People is based on Fredrik Bachman’s book of the same name.
I was excited (and a little nervous) to learn that Anxious People was adapted for screen. The excitement was partly because I loved the book so much that I gave it five stars. You can find my full review of the book here:
Book Review – Anxious People
A failed bank robber, armed with what they believe to be a fake gun, accidentally turns an apartment viewing into a hostage situation.
The powers-that-be decided to turn it into a six-episode mini-series. I loved that they gave the novel more than 90 to 120 minutes of screen time. How great was that? I hoped that with each episode lasting between 25 and 30 minutes, the plot would dig as deep as Bachman did with his character development.
Director Felix Herngren and writer Camilla Ahlgren try their best to stick to Bachman’s original story about much more than just a bank robbery gone wrong. Still, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
The series focuses more on the bank robbery and hostage situation than the “anxious people” thrown together in a somewhat unpredictable situation. The emotional connections that Bachman masterly weaved in his novel fell short.
The series glossed over some significant plot points regarding Zara, the bank manager, and Jack, the police officer.
I understand that the series is based on and not a replica of Backman’s novel, but I felt the essence of Bachman’s book wasn’t conveyed in the series.
I didn’t grow to love the characters as I did during the novel. They start the same, quite caricatural, but they don’t develop as much. Or at least the way it is set up on screen isn’t as effective.
Bachman’s unique ability to capture the human spirit is lacking. The sensitive issues that Bachman tackles in the novel are also glossed over. It was a real shame, as I was looking forward to seeing some of my all-time favourite characters on screen.
Perhaps Bachman’s style of writing isn’t the easiest to translate to screen.
However, if you disregard Fredrik Backman’s novel and look at the series as simply a comedy-drama series about a bank robbery gone wrong, there isn’t much to grumble about.
The series has action and suspense. It will keep you guessing as to the outcome of the story. The characters are relatable and have convincing character arcs.
There’s a good sprinkling of humour to lighten the mood of a typical crime drama, which I think works well. It’s humorous without making it feel farcical.
Having read the book, I would still recommend watching the series. As with everything, adapting a book to screen depends on the screenwriter’s vision of the original work. And I believe that there are many facets to Bachman’s writing, and you can’t make them all shine through on screen. A choice must be made.
This was the first time I had read a Fredrik Bachman novel. I enjoyed it so much that I jumped at the chance to buy more. A Man Called Ove, which has also been adapted to the screen, and Britt-Marie Was Here are patiently waiting on my Kindle.
We shall see if they turn out to be as good as Anxious People and if the screen adaptation of A Man Called Ove with Tom Hanks is any good.
The Book Bump 
Leave a comment