Terribly Happy 2010

In a bid to escape the turmoil of his recent past, Copenhagen policeman Robert Hansen (Robert) has been reassigned by his superior, the chief of police in Tonder, to a temporary post as the sole law enforcement officer in the rural village of Skarrild. Nestled deep within a boggy lowland, this secluded community is replete with eccentric residents and an air of quiet desperation. Robert’s own demons are still simmering after a breakdown that followed a violent outburst against his wife and her lover. His longing for a swift resolution to his stay in Skarrild is fueled by the hope of reuniting with his daughter, Josefine, who has been led to believe he’s in Australia.

As Robert navigates this unfamiliar terrain, he encounters an assortment of peculiar locals, including Dr. Zerleng and his cohorts, the grocer and the priest, who are eager for him to join their regular card game. He also meets Ingelise Buhl, a woman whose life has been marked by marital abuse, who sets about insinuating herself into Robert’s daily routine. His visit to the local bicycle shop yields no one in attendance, merely an enigmatic note indicating that the owner vanished without warning.

A series of minor incidents gradually reveals to Robert that the villagers have a penchant for meting out their own brand of justice, rather than relying on the authorities from Tonder. As he becomes increasingly entrenched in Skarrild’s unique social dynamics, Robert finds himself developing feelings for Ingelise, who has been battered by her husband, Jørgen. In an effort to protect her, Robert visits her home, only to discover a scene that suggests Jørgen has been indulging in his own brand of abuse.

Robert’s guilt-ridden decision to intervene further complicates matters when he is drawn into Ingelise’s orbit once more. On this fateful night, he finds himself torn between his duty as a policeman and his growing emotional connection with her. The consequences of his actions are devastating, and Robert’s subsequent attempts to come to terms with the tragedy only serve to deepen his sense of guilt and conflict.

As Robert stands ready to pay his respects at Ingelise’s funeral, he is struck by the realization that their tumultuous encounter has left him without a crucial button from his uniform pocket. At the somber gathering, the priest implores him to keep a watchful eye on Jørgen, cautioning that the townsfolk are convinced of his guilt in Ingelise’s untimely demise. That night, Robert takes up surveillance outside Jørgen’s abode, only to witness a group of men forcibly bundling their quarry into waiting vehicles. In pursuit, Robert follows the procession to the outskirts of town, where he finds Jørgen being coerced at gunpoint into a desolate bog. For the first time, Robert seizes his pistol, trains it on the perpetrators, and demands they desist. With Jørgen safely extracted from the treacherous terrain, Robert takes him in, only to discover Dorthe hiding at the local grocer’s, her testimony painting Jørgen as the culprit who departed her home the fateful night Ingelise met her end. Robert works tirelessly to dispel this misconception, ultimately escorting a chastened Dorthe back to her father.

Meanwhile, Jørgen seeks out Robert at the local tavern, issuing a challenge that sets them on a path of competitive drinking. As the night wears on, and their shared libations accumulate, the two adversaries stumble into Robert’s apartment, where Jørgen produces the missing uniform button as if by intuition. Seizing upon this revelation, Robert rushes to his desk drawer, retrieves his firearm, and takes aim at Jørgen. A fatal shot later, Robert disposes of Jørgen’s lifeless form in the very bog where it all began.

The next morning, Robert awakens in his police cruiser, only to be summoned by the Tonder chief of police to investigate a gruesome discovery: Jørgen’s boot, eerily extracted from the bog. As Robert is taken into custody, he can’t help but anticipate the worst. However, fate has other plans. The chief of police, accompanied by Robert, reveals that the authorities have dredged up the lifeless form of the local bicycle shop proprietor. In a surprising turn of events, the chief proposes a narrative that would absolve Jørgen’s character, allowing Robert to return to his old life in Copenhagen, close to his daughter. This tantalizing prospect elicits a fleeting smile from Robert as he contemplates leaving this troubled town behind.

As Robert’s departure from Skarrild draws near, he embarks on a final flurry of preparations, meticulously packing his belongings and saying his goodbyes. Before making his exit, he pays a visit to the doctor’s ongoing card game, where he stops to bid farewell to the group. However, instead of offering words of encouragement or sentimentality, the group reveals that they are aware of the events surrounding Ingelise and Jørgen, their former townspeople who had been the source of considerable tension in Skarrild. The doctor’s group expresses relief at being rid of the troublesome duo, as their absence has brought a palpable sense of calm to the town. However, this newfound peace comes with a warning: they possess knowledge about Robert that could prove detrimental to him should he venture further into Copenhagen. As Robert sits down to join the game, he becomes an integral part of the group, now their fourth player, and a crucial cog in the intricate web of relationships and alliances within Skarrild’s tight-knit community.