The Girl With the Needle – Movie Review (4/5)

THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE is a new serial killer movie inspired by the true story of the most prolific Danish serial killer. The story centers around a fictitious victim but nothing about the actual killer is exaggerated. Read our full The Girl with the Needle movie review here!

THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE has already been applauded at various film festivals and won a whole slew of awards. Once you see it, I’m sure you’ll also recognize why. The inspiration for the story in this movie comes from a tragic true crime case.

The movie uses a fictitious victim – clearly inspired by some of the real victims – to tell this story, which ensures a proper setting. This is the story of the most prolific Danish serial killer. As far as we know, obviously. The runtime is around two hours and it’s entirely in black and white.

Continue reading our The Girl with the Needle movie review below. Find it in theaters in North America from December 6, 2024.

Serial Killer in a Gothic Horror setting

In The Girl with the Needle, we follow Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) as the title character. She’s a young factory worker doing everything she can to survive in post-WW1 Copenhagen.

Her husband has been missing for almost a year after fighting in the war. Denmark was neutral, but many still participated in various capacities. While she can only assume that he’s dead, she isn’t eligible for any financial aid without his death certificate.

Before long, she finds herself unemployed, abandoned, and pregnant. The father of the baby promised to marry her, but things don’t go as planned and Karoline is the one who needs to find a solution.

While trying to “solve” the situation in a manner that relates to the title of this gothic-style fairytale, she meets Dagmar (Trine Dyrholm). She is a charismatic woman who comes across as warm and caring. Exactly what you’d expect from someone running an underground adoption agency.

The kind of agency that wants to help those who cannot keep their baby with those who cannot have a baby of their own. With no other options left, Karoline accepts Dagmar’s help and pays for this assistance by taking on the role of a wet nurse.

After all, she has milk, and babies in need of food are always around Dagmar.

Over time, the two women form a strong connection, but this ends when Karoline discovers the shocking truth behind Dagmar’s work.

Denmark’s entry to the 97th Academy Awards®

When The Girl with the Needle enjoyed its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, it was applauded as a standout selection in Cannes. This dark and sinister fairytale-like story is about a desperate woman’s search for relief in a cold world. She’s looking for tenderness and morality in a cruel world that continues to take from her.

You can expect to hear more about this movie in the months to come, as The Girl with the Needle has become Denmark’s Best International Feature Film entry to the 97th Academy Awards®.

The two stars of the movie, Vic Carmen Sonne in the title role and Trine Dyrholm as serial killer Dagmar Overby were also both European Film Academy nominees for their performances. It’s not hard to understand why as both are amazing in their raw portrayals.

The movie also won the European Film Awards for Best Production Design for Jagna Dobesz and Best Original Score for Frederikke Hoffmeier (Puce Mary). Also, cinematographer Michael Dymek (A Real Pain, EO) was up for the main competition prize at this year’s Camerimage Film Festival.

When truth is darker than fiction

While the story of serial killer Dagmar Overby is inspired by a true crime case, I can assure you that nothing about her actions is exaggerated. In fact, reading up on the real case after watching The Girl with the Needle shook me.

Dagmar Overby is the serial killer in Denmark with the most victims. And being a native of Denmark, I had – of course – heard of her. I had just never read up on her as the cases are so brutal. All of her victims are babies. Often only days or weeks old.

Having recently watched The Substance via MUBI, I can see why they also made sure to get The Girl with the Needle into the fold. The two obviously differ wildly. Still, both feature dark and fascinating female characters shaped by the world they live in.

There are no excuses made for Dagmar Overby’s actions. Quite the contrary. However, there is a focus on how and why young women would hand over their newborn babies to this woman. They very clearly believed this was the only way to ensure a better life. Both for their child and themselves.

This true crime case remains a national trauma for Denmark. One that resulted in changes for how babies are registered and their well-being followed up on.

The actions of Dagmar Overby (and the reason women felt it was their only choice) brutally revealed what can happen when we turn a blind eye to the horrors in our society.

Watch The Girl with the Needle in Theaters

Magnus von Horn is the director of this new gothic tale about the most controversial and prolific serial killer in Denmark. The film was written by director Magnus von Horn alongside Line Langebeck, who also produced it.

MUBI is the reason why people in North America can watch this movie in theaters. They made yet another brilliant signing (following their huge success with The Substance) with this movie. It’s only a matter of time before this is added to their streaming service like The Substance.

The Girl with the Needle had its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie has been at film festivals all over the world, been nominated for many awards, and won several of them as well.

Maybe a Golden Globe or an Oscar is up next?!

The Girl with the Needle is out In Theaters in the US & Canada from December 6, 2024. In Germany & Latin America, the premiere is set for January 9, and in the UK it’s January 10, 2025.

Details

Director: Magnus Von Horn
Script: Magnus Von Horn, Line Langebek
Cast: Vic Carmen Sonne, Trine Dyrholm, Besir Zeciri, Joachim Fjelstrup, Ava Knox Martin, Tessa Hoder, Ari Alexander, Søren Sætter-Lassen