Murder Mindfully Delivers A Compelling Tale

Murder Mindfully (Achtsam Morden) follows Björn Diemel (Tom Schilling), a lawyer who works for a German mob. Under extreme stress both at home and at work, Björn is directed to learn about mindfulness and how it can help him approach life’s struggles. This new outlook comes just in time as a moment of clarity for the lawyer, who sees his life take on a radical new course.

A measured approach to storytelling can be tricky to pull off. By being reserved, a story risks failing to grab a viewer’s attention. Without leaning hard into comedy, drama, or action, a series risks simply being nothing at all. Murder Mindfully reminds us that, when balanced well, you can get a lot out of a more subdued approach.

If you read the core premise of this series, you would most likely expect it to be a total farce. When Björn decides he’d rather play with his daughter at the beach one weekend instead of letting the mob boss in his truck out, he’s soon running a scam on the boss’ underlings, keeping them convinced the boss is alive and in hiding. This setup is used to surprising effect, as moments of absurdity and tension are woven together over the series’ eight episodes.

This balance of tones works largely thanks to how well the show delivers on Björn’s arc. Watching the character’s transformation from an overworked lawyer to a mobster is built on fantastic character direction. Björn never means for himself to become what he ultimately ends up being—it just happens. The transition is so smooth that the audience is likely to be as surprised the first time the lawyer is referred to as “boss” as the character is.

Further helping the lead’s arc is how they work in his mindfulness training. Early in the series, Björn’s wife asks him to go visit a mindfulness coach. Surprised by how much it helps him, the protagonist takes the concepts to heart. Whenever Murder Mindfully finds its lead in one of its many harrowing situations, we get a flashback to a mindfulness session that speaks to the unfolding moment. How the characters translate the things they learned into a guide for dealing with mobsters provides some fascinating and reasonable mental gymnastics.

Further helping engage the viewer in Murder Mindfully‘s narrative is Björn’s tendency to address the camera. Frequently, during conversations or other key moments, the world will pause so the lead can take a moment to explain something to the audience. These moments are playful in tone as Björn is at his most self-assured when he’s filling the viewer in on his motives and plans.

While the protagonist provides a strong center for the narrative, he isn’t the only exceptional presence among the characters. In a close second is the mob enforcer Sascha. Giving off imposing vibes when first met, the series does a wonderful job of unveiling a far more nuanced personality for him. Despite his role as a mobster, Sascha frequently provides a surprising amount of warmth and support for Björn throughout the series.

Beyond these two characters, the rest of the series’ cast delivers serviceable jobs in their various roles. Björn’s wife also does a solid job in her prominent placement in the series. Her concern over her husband’s work is handled skillfully. She is allowed to be a cautionary voice without ever becoming an overly negative presence. She is coming at situations from a place of concern. She is never taken to the point where it feels like she complains or casts doubt simply because it’s what she does.

The only thing holding Murder Mindfully back from being a great show is the absence of big moments. Even though the show is enjoyable, it lacks those keystone moments that cement a narrative in people’s minds.

Though it lacks big reveals or striking scenes, the series delivers many smaller surprises that make it enjoyable. Björn’s plans are interesting and surprising while never feeling too far-fetched. His life as a lawyer working to help mobsters wiggle out of jail helps explain how quickly he adapts to situations.

Murder Mindfully delivers a thoroughly enjoyable ride. With great characters and a surprising plot, the series keeps the viewer invested in its world, even if it lacks the highs of truly great television.

Murder Mindfully is streaming now on Netflix.