An Honest Life


An Honest Life is a 2025 Swedish drama-thriller film directed by Mikael Marcimain and written by Linn Gottfridsson. It is based on Joakim Zander's novel of the same name. The film stars Simon Lööf, Nora Rios, and Peter Andersson. An Honest Life premiered on Netflix on 31 July 2025.

Plot

In a flash-forward, Simon views expensive watches at a Danish boutique with Max. A customer nearby collapses, causing a commotion which draws away the attendant. A phone on the counter rings, and a voice tells Simon to steal the watches as his test.
Simon arrives at Lund University with plans of studying law. He happens upon a robbery, and is beaten by a police officer who thinks he is involved. One of the masked robbers knocks out the police officer and leaves without further explanation. Simon has rented a room in an expensive apartment, and wants to fit in with his upper-class roommates. At the library, he recognizes the girl who was involved in the robbery. He happens upon her in the rain by chance, and comes to know her as Max. His roommates invite him to a formal dinner, but treat him like a waiter and have him clean up afterwards.
Max picks him up in a van and takes him to the seaside, where they go cliff jumping. Simon is seriously hurt. Max's sister Dinah examines him and offers him some pain relievers. Together they drive to Grey Gardens, a cottage owned by Charles, a retired professor who acts as a leader of an anti-establishment student group. Charles advocates for radical honesty, and believes one's actions and opinions should be the same. Max tells him he fits in with the group and kisses him.
Simon steals the watch on a trip with Max, fulfilling his test to join Charles' group. He is initially disturbed but soon falls in with the camaraderie of the "bandits." He goes skinny-dipping with Max and they have sex on the beach. Simon informs his roommates that he wants to move out. In response, Ludvig reads Simon's diary aloud to embarrass him. The bandits attend a masquerade party, where he sees Max about to have sex with Ludvig. He starts a fight with Victor, and gets his average exam results. He talks with Max, who explains that she only slept with Ludvig to get the keys to his parents' house in Malmö. The bandits want to vandalize the home, but their burglary goes awry when Robin shoots the family's housekeeper. Max is pulled over by police while Robin and Simon are hiding in the back of the van. The police open the trunk and they pepper-spray the police to make their get-away. Charles, who already found out about the shooting online, confronts them when they get back to the cottage. An altercation ensues. Simon wants to leave but Max shows him proof of his involvement. Ludvig is upset about his housekeeper's shooting.
Simon gets the address of a former bandit from Charles. When he goes there, the man has been reported missing, but Simon learns he was also swindled by Max. He also learns the real names of the gang members. When he returns to the cottage, he finds Charles has shot himself. He meets with Max in a hotel room. The bandits tie up Simon and pull off another heist, but Simon escapes and prevents them from shooting a guard. The group flees from the police. Simon tells Max that he knows her real name, as well as the names of her accomplices, and that if anything happens to him, they will all be exposed.

Cast

  • Simon Lööf as Simon; a first-year law student from a typical, non-wealthy background
  • Nora Rios as Max / Lea Valverde; a member of Professor Charles' group
  • Peter Andersson as Charles; an anti-establishment retired professor
  • Willy Ramnek Petri as Robin / Axel; a member of Professor Charles' group
  • Nathalie Merchant as Dinah / Belinda Valverde; Max's older sister with a drug problem
  • Christoffer Rigeblad as Ludvig Rehnskiöld; Simon's upper-class roommate
  • as Victor Wehlin; Simon's upper-class roommate

    Production

The film is based on Joakim Zander's novel of the same name. The screenplay was written by Linn Gottfridsson and the director was Mikael Marcimain.
Filming began in Lund in the autumn of 2023. It had wrapped by the following January.

Release

It premiered on Netflix on 31 July 2025.

Reception

The film received a mixed review from in Dagens Nyheter. She criticized the film's dialogue and thematic handling of social class, although praised the performances of the three main leads. It received a more positive review from Siri Vaara in Aftonbladet. Peter Andersson's performance as a retired professor received particular praise in Göteborgs-Posten.