The Storm Review
Director: Josephine Bornebusch
Date Created: 2026-10-15 19:03
4
The Storm Review: Written and directed by Josephine Bornebusch, who also stars as Kina. Netflix’s Swedish dark comedy film Stormen stars Gustaf Skarsgård as Filip, Aliette Opheim as Caroline, Filip Berg as Ossi, Jonas Karlsson as Jakob, Johan Rheborg as Nicholas, Christopher Wagelin as Henrik Müller, Sara Shirpey as Ninni and Gizem Erdogan as Nattis, among others. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 41 minutes.
The Storm Review
In Netflix’s The Storm, the story takes place at a newly purchased farmhouse in northern Sweden, where Filip and Caroline have been trying to transform it into a bed-and-breakfast, which has been rather unprofitable. Unfortunately, Caroline, who wants to realise her dream, is desperate because of the costly renovations and the bad state of the business. When the guests of Filip who are his university buddies come to celebrate his 45th birthday, the couple believes that they will be able to find support in the rich guys. However, the guests, who are insecure people with the perfect images of success, have brought trouble into the house.
It must be said, however, that the Netflix film The Storm is one of those movies that would make you think about how dinner parties can turn so wrong so fast. There are films where characters meet at one point and engage in conversation all throughout, but conversations in this movie are quite alive. Each character has something to say and something to hide, and almost none of them seems able to sense the mood of the group. It was rather amusing to imagine how fun it would be to join this conversation at the table despite the regret that I might feel after five minutes there.
The thing that I liked about this Swedish movie The Storm was that it doesn’t require any sophisticated background or an overwhelming number of locations to keep you engaged. Almost all the action takes place within the farmhouse; however, the diverse set of characters makes sure that there’s no emptiness in the place. The weather outside makes it impossible for the guests to just leave when things get heated up. They are forced to interact, and here comes the main source of entertainment. The more they pretend to be respectable people, the funnier they look.
At the centre of this chaos are Filip and Caroline, whose love story also provides a certain human dimension to this comedy. First of all, it should be noted that the birthday party is not only dedicated to Filip’s birthday, but also that Caroline has a different aim in mind. Her desire to make this bed-and-breakfast hotel work is what makes her life so stressful.
It is very amusing to watch the pair struggling to maintain their cohesion despite the fact that their guests seem to complicate things even further. In this context, Gustaf Skarsgård portrays the irritation of Filip quite well. It becomes more difficult to hold back his anger and the attempts he makes to cope with everything that is happening add up to the comedy. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that Aliette Opheim succeeds in portraying the stubbornness and irritation that go hand in hand with the determination of Caroline. Their dynamic seems to be rather that of people who irritate each other to such an extent that an insignificant clash of opinions turns into an actual conflict.
Ossi, who is played by Filip Berg, tries to pretend that he is very successful, and this is shown through how he dresses up in Gucci loafers that are too expensive for him. On the other hand, Kina, who is portrayed by Bornebusch, has more pressing issues like her ill child. It is evident that she cares less about making an impression on others. This creates a contrast between the two, which becomes quite amusing as both have known each other for many years.
Then there is Henrik Müller, a brash businessman, played by Christopher Wagelin, along with his very young wife, Ninni, played by Sara Shirpey. The money and power that Henrik Müller holds will not save him from the problems coming his way, and his wife’s craving for attention will make matters even more awkward. It is the kind of couple that makes you feel like looking away when talking to them but at the same time makes it hard for you not to pay attention to them.
Jakob and Nicholas also add their judgements to the mix, whereas Nattis is very notable for her ability to challenge the judgements of other people. While this habit of hers may prove tiring at times, there is also something extremely relatable about her arguments. It seems that the filmmakers realise the nature of a social gathering that may sometimes turn into an arena of discussion where people are more interested in proving their point than listening to others. No one is completely innocent in this regard, which makes the cast of characters so interesting.
The humour can be a little blatant at times, and there were several times in Josephine Bornebusch’s The Storm where things got so awkward that I wondered if things could possibly get any worse. The movie finds new ways to continue pushing these characters out of their comfort zones. The mushrooms bring even more insanity into the mix, while the deteriorating weather conditions create a very oppressive feeling inside the house. Minor disagreements lead to major conflicts since no one will back down or consider whether they could possibly be wrong about something.
Of course, the entire movie was not perfect. In some cases, the fights may push the level of tension too far, and the humour itself may be just too extreme. There are cases where it seems like the behaviour of the characters is deliberately exaggerated so that the situation could continue to develop. Nevertheless, I do not think that these mistakes ruin the entire film for me. The performance of the film itself keeps up the momentum, and beyond the crazy fight there lies a relatable story.
What stuck with me as well was the way the Netflix Swedish movie The Storm managed to discuss themes of class, parenthood, marriage and friendship in its central party through its ability to retain its dark humour. These characters have a lot of shared experience between them, but it hasn’t always made them understand each other better. They are familiar enough with each other to know where the best spots to apply the greatest amounts of pressure lie, and once things start going wrong, they can no longer be ignored.
Netflix The Storm Review: Summing Up
Overall, 2026 The Storm movie is an entertaining experience if you prefer ensemble comedies where the cast is as entertaining as the chaos they make. The oddball personalities, increasing misunderstandings and the potential to turn simple conversations into the highlight of the movie were some aspects of it which I really liked.
It is not a flawless movie and the humour may not be appealing to everyone, but there is a wonderful quality to watching people unravel themselves as they desperately try to uphold their façade. It is funny, awkward, unpredictable and full of interesting characters who I would love to watch from a safe distance. Though I would hate to be stuck with them inside a farmhouse during the storm, I wouldn’t mind joining them for a meal.
