Hallucinatory series or pompous ego trip: what is the Copenhagen Cowboy series worth on Netflix?

Nicolas Winding Refn. The mere mention of this name is enough to put stars in the eyes of some moviegoers. In fact, the director of Drive, with Ryan Gosling, has always been able to distinguish himself by his works with an ultra-slick aesthetic… even if it means boring or losing the spectators along the way.

So when netflix announced the release of Copenhagen Cowboy, its second series after Too Old to Die Young (to see on Amazon Prime Video), many were enthusiastic. However, the 6 episodes of this season 1 are far from having unanimous support. So, should we watch Nicolas Winding Refn’s brilliant new achievement or is Copenhagen Cowboy proof that the Dane is just an impostor? We will try to give you as objective an opinion as possible!

What is Copenhagen Cowboy about?

After the “concrete cowboy” with Idris ElbaNetflix invites us to get to know the “Copenhagen cowboy” in the new series by Nicolas Winding Refn. Praised after the success at the cinema of Drive (which was already a follow-up to the Pusher trilogy), the Danish director has confirmed his status as a “separate” author. with his next two works, Only God Forgives (again with Ryan Gosling) and The Neon Demon, two visually stunning films, but which were far from unanimous.

Refn then chose to turn to the small screen, signing a first series for Amazon, Too Old to Die Young… canceled after only one season (10 90-minute episodes), despite obvious qualities. Not enough to undermine the will of the filmmaker, who concedes having learned from his mistakes when embarking on a new adventure on Netflix. On paper and in view of the first images, however, Copenhagen Cowboy seems to be a typically Refnian work: beautiful, dark, radical. Just read the pitch to be convinced:

This is how we meet Miu (the young Angela Bundalovic, seen in The Rain on… Netflix), who arrives in Copenhagen, in a family from Eastern Europe. She then discovers the dark underworld of the Danish capital, being confronted in particular with the exploitation of undocumented immigrants.

What do you think of this Nicolas Winding Refn series on Netflix?

If you want to immerse yourself in a series to clear your head and have a good time in front of your screen, go your way: Copenhagen Cowboy is not really a series that makes you smile (like the whole NWR filmo , Besides). But its qualities are elsewhere.

This time, 6 episodes of about fifty minutes await us. A long dream from which we do not come out unscathed as the work marks the retina. Violence rubs shoulders with the supernatural, each shot is both aesthetic and fascinating, sometimes also disturbing… We follow the confrontation between Miu and her rival Rakel (magnetic Lola Corfixen, daughter of Nicolas Winding Refn), this thirst for revenge which anime, the meeting with Mother Hulda and the discovery of her past, all carried by an awesome soundtrack.

Less simplistic than it seems, Copenhagen Cowboy is a real UFO. A bizarre and mind-blowing work that is reminiscent of David Lynch… with all the qualities but also the flaws that this implies. Because the series is often slow and contemplative, giving the impression that the director is looking at himself. And it’s not the end of the season that will make everyone agree! Between director’s middle finger and open door for a season 2, everyone can form their own opinion.

In summary, those who worship Nicolas Winding Refn should worship him even more after watching these 6 episodes. The others, on the other hand, may find it difficult to enter this very special universe.. One thing is certain: Copenhagen Cowboy is a work of art in its own right, a radical proposition in this often civilized world of TV series. For that alone, we advise you to take a look… trying not to throw in the towel at the end of the first episode!