The Weight of Secrets & Lies
Upon its 2022 Netflix release, Loving Adults was one of the films people could not stop discussing, not because it was loud or a blockbuster, but because it invaded the subconscious. Directed by Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg, this Danish psychological thriller took the premise of a marriage gone wrong, and like a masterful bait and switch, turned it into an exploration of obsession, betrayal, and moral decay. What set Loving Adults apart was the masterful way it blurred the lines between love and destruction — between what one might say one would never do and what one might do, given the right amount of provocation.
However, behind the story’s tension, there was a cast and crew whose creative journeys, like the emotional heart of the film, dealt with trust’s fragility, relevance’s elusive pursuit, and the audacity of confronting harsh realities.
The Calm That Breaks Slowly
The film starts with Christian (Dar Salim), a man who seems to have it all, with a loving wife Leonora (Sonja Richter) and a teenage son. They are the picture of upper-middle-class comfort. They have a modest home, a stable, and intact family and, have weathered their fair share of hardships together. But, under the surface, something is festering and rotten.
Leonora has given up her ambition and career to look after their son who had a serious illness years earlier. Christian, who should have been grateful, distanced himself. However, he is distracted and, ultimately, exposed. He is having an affair with Xenia (Sus Wilkins) an affair with a younger, ambitious woman who rekindles his passion but also his guilt.
This story, like the earlier work of Anna Ekberg, moves on from a domestic drama to something much darker. Leonora, having discovered the affair, does not simply confront him. Instead, every gesture, every smile becomes a part of a calculated psychological attack. What ensues is a cat and mouse game of crime, passion, and ultimate betrayal and a story that keeps the audience guessing regarding who is the victim and who the villain is.
The narrative lacks clean lines and moral clarity which made it even more compelling.
Sonja Richter: The Woman Who Held It All Together
Sonja Richter, who plays Leonora, brought vulnerability to what could have been a one-dimensional character. She is known in Denmark for her heartfelt performances in The Keeper of Lost Causes and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and was motivated to work on Loving Adults because it felt “uncomfortably human.”
In interviews she stated that the character and the narrative was one-dimensional and that Leonora was not a victim but a woman who has been pushed to the limit. “She’s not evil, she’s hurt, she’s terrified of losing everything she built.” That fear of being replaced, forgotten, and taken for granted is something that many women identify with.
During the pandemic, Richter described the time as justifiable for personal reflection which contributed to her understanding of Leonora’s emotional solitude. The stillness of the pandemic, she stated, helped her to safely explore her own complicated feelings regarding identity and the passing of time, which are integral to Leonora’s character. This is why every second of her performance is so authentic, as she silently witnesses her husband’s lie or coolly plots her revenge.
Interpretations of Dar Salim’s Duality and the Shadow of Guilt
Playing opposite Richter, Dar Salim portrays Christian, a character who balances comfort and desire, guilt and selfishness. Salim, who is also recognized for his performances in Game of Thrones and Darkland, is excited to play a character who is ‘not a hero, not a villain. ‘ Christian ‘makes horrible decisions but I didn’t want to condemn him. I just wanted to find the humane rationale in his errors.’
Salim’s experiences are unique. He fled Iraq as a child and the war, and from then on, lived in Denmark. He knows what it feels like to be between two worlds and the balancing of expectation and desire. That conflict, which is the basis of his tension, is on display. Christian tries to convince himself that leaving Leonora is a necessary, not cruel, act.
As noted, Salim and Richter worked on some confrontational scenes in isolation, and according to the director, this gave them an opportunity to understand and create some raw, unpredictable chemistry. One of these was the experimental dinner scene where Leonora subtly reveals she knows everything. The script provided only the emotional beats, and the corresponding lines were intentionally left out. The improvisation was so seamless and authentic that the crew reportedly remained silent for an unusually long time after the scene was completed.
The Director Who Turned Love Into Suspense
Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg, who is predominantly a creator of romantic dramas, was a surprising name when people spoke about the genre of thrillers. Yet she was able to maintain an impressive equilibrium in that she did not approach the story as a crime narrative, but rather as a love story that was slowly decaying. She referred to Loving Adults as “a film about what happens when love turns into fear.”
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