What Is Terribly Happy About?
The premise of Terribly Happy in 359 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the austere outskirts of Southern Jutland, a solitary police outpost waits for its newest keeper. Robert Hansen, a 34‑year‑old officer from Copenhagen, is whisked away from the city’s relentless pulse and dropped into the bog‑laden village of Skarrild. The assignment is presented as a chance to rebuild a faltering career, yet the weight of his recent personal crisis and the longing to reunite with a daughter who believes he is abroad linger like a quiet storm. The film opens with the stark juxtaposition of metropolitan bureaucracy against the slow, mist‑filled rhythm of a remote frontier, setting a tone that is both bleak and oddly hopeful.
Skarrild itself feels like a character: low‑lying, rain‑soaked, and wrapped in an undercurrent of unspoken codes. Its tight‑knit community moves to a rhythm dictated by tradition, where the locals favor their own brand of rough justice over distant authority. Amid the town’s modest establishments—a vacant bicycle shop, a modest grocer, a modest church—a small, enigmatic circle of residents gathers for a regular card game, hinting at an intimate network of relationships and unvoiced alliances. The setting is rendered with a muted palette, the ever‑present bog casting a reflective sheen that mirrors the protagonist’s internal uncertainty.
Within this isolated tableau, Dr. Zerleng appears as the town’s scholarly anchor, while Ingerlise Buhl and her husband Jørgen embody the personal struggles that quietly ripple beneath the surface of daily life. Robert must learn to read the subtle signals of a community that operates on unspoken agreements, all while contending with his own fractured sense of duty and the ghost of a life left behind. The atmosphere is thick with tension, curiosity, and a slow‑burning suspense that suggests every interaction could reshape his fate.
The film’s mood balances stark realism with a whisper of existential dread, inviting viewers to wonder whether the remote posting will be a crucible that reforges Robert into the town’s reluctant guardian, or whether the quiet weight of Skarrild will swallow his ambitions whole. As the landscape and its inhabitants slowly draw him into their rhythm, the story promises a compelling study of isolation, responsibility, and the fragile line between survival and surrender.
What Happens in Terribly Happy?
The complete story of Terribly Happy, from the first scene to the last, in 728 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Copenhagen policeman Robert Hansen [Jakob Cedergren] has been reassigned by his supervisor, the chief of police in Tonder, to a temporary post as the sole officer in the village of Skarrild, a boggy lowland, where he must confront a world far from the city’s rhythms and rules. He arrives still carrying the weight of a recent breakdown, the result of a gun threat against his wife and her lover, and he longs for a quick relief so he can reunite with his daughter, Josefine, who has been told he’s in Australia.
In Skarrild, he encounters the town’s oddball quartet at the center of its quiet unease: Dr. Zerleng [Lars Brygmann] and his two cronies, the grocer, and the priest, all hoping to recruit him to be the fourth player in their regular card game. He also meets Ingerlise Buhl, a woman who has endured marital abuse, and who begins to insinuate herself into Robert’s daily routine. Robert also stops by the local bicycle shop, only to learn that the owner vanished some time ago, leaving an empty storefront as a silent reminder of the town’s mysteries. The small, insular world of Skarrild slowly reveals itself, and Robert senses that the locals prefer to dispense their own rough justice rather than involve the authorities from Tonder.
To protect Ingerlise, Robert finds himself drawn to her, and after a brutal incident of abuse by her husband, Jørgen Buhl, he goes to her home to check on her. He enters through an open door and discovers Ingerlise lying in bed, slightly battered, and she begins to seduce him. He yields, and when her sexual sounds threaten to wake Jørgen, he muffles her with a pillow, unintentionally suffocating her. He escapes before Jørgen stirs, but the tragedy weighs on him from that moment onward. The next day, the locals are alerted, and Robert returns to the scene to face the consequences. A doctor arrives to examine the body, and Robert offers only a vague account of events, while the doctor declares the death a cardiac arrest. He worries about the town’s response and about Dorthe, Ingerlise and Jørgen’s daughter, being left an orphan, even as he tries to shield the truth from the Tonder authorities.
As Ingerlise’s funeral approaches, Robert realizes a missing button from his uniform pocket remains from the night’s events. At the funeral luncheon, the priest hints that Robert should keep an eye on Jørgen, because the townsfolk do not like wife-killers and suspect he is guilty. That night, Robert parks outside Jørgen’s house and, in the morning, follows a duo of cars that take him to the edge of the bog, where they force Jørgen at gunpoint to go into the marsh. Robert draws his pistol, orders the men to stop, and saves Jørgen from being dragged away. He then retrieves Dorthe, who had hidden at the grocer’s, and reassures her that the night’s events were misunderstood, taking her back to her father.
Later, Jørgen confronts Robert at a bar and issues a drinking challenge that leads them back to Robert’s apartment. After several rounds, Jørgen reveals the missing button, hinting at what happened that night. In a tense, desperate moment, Robert retrieves a gun from his desk and shoots Jørgen twice, the second shot proving fatal. He drags Jørgen’s body to the bog and drives back to town, exhausted, only to fall asleep in his police car.
The following morning, the Tonder chief of police returns and Robert is pulled into the investigation of a boot found in the bog. Expecting the worst, he waits in the chief’s cruiser as the two recount the town’s grim calculus: they could declare Jørgen’s death a suicide and have Robert return to Copenhagen and his daughter, thus simplifying life for everyone. A quiet, weary smile suggests Robert’s fate may be decided by forces larger than his own conscience.
In the days that follow, Robert is seen preparing to leave Skarrild behind. He makes a final stop at the doctor’s ongoing card game to say goodbye, only to learn that the card-playing circle understands what happened with Ingerlise and Jørgen, and that their secret has altered the town’s balance. The grocer’s words linger in the room: “You’re our man now, Robert.” With that, Robert takes a seat at the table, becoming the fourth player in their intimate, unsettling game of fate.
Terribly Happy Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Arrival as sole officer in Skarrild” to “Coda: a new balance in Skarrild”. 15 events name a place, across 11 locations.
- 1
Arrival as sole officer in Skarrild
Robert Hansen is reassigned by the chief of police in Tonder to become the sole officer in the boggy village of Skarrild. He is still haunted by a recent breakdown and therapy after threatening his wife and her lover with a gun. He longs for the assignment to end quickly so he can be back with his daughter Dorthe, who believes he is in Australia.
When:early Where:Skarrild
- 2
Unusual locals and a card-game invite
In Skarrild, Robert meets Dr. Zerleng and his two cronies—the grocer and the priest—who want him as the fourth player in their regular card game. He also encounters Ingelise Buhl, a wife suffering from marital abuse who begins to insinuate herself into his life. The encounter hints at the locals' willingness to handle issues privately.
When:shortly after arrival Where:Skarrild
- 3
The bicycle shop mystery
Robert visits the local bicycle shop but finds it empty. He is told the owner disappeared some time ago, a hint that the town keeps its own rules. This absence underscores the locals' preference for private justice rather than involving the police.
When:early days Where:Bicycle shop, Skarrild
- 4
Private justice vs authorities
After a string of minor incidents, it becomes clear that the residents prefer to mete out justice in their own way rather than involve the authorities from Tonder. Robert senses the boundaries of his authority are being tested. The town's silence weighs on him as he tries to do his job.
When:early days Where:Skarrild
- 5
Ingelise seeks protection; romance begins
Robert becomes protective of Ingelise after her husband Jørgen abuses her. He goes to her home to check on her, and she begins to seduce him. He begins to feel something for her, complicating his sense of duty.
When:one evening Where:Ingelise's home, Skarrild
- 6
Accidental suffocation of Ingelise
During the encounter, Ingelise's moans threaten to wake Jørgen on the stairs. Robert muffles her with a pillow and accidentally suffocates her. He escapes before Jørgen wakes, leaving the body behind. The next day the locals are alerted, and the doctor arrives.
When:that night Where:Ingelise's home
- 7
Doctor coerces a false cause of death
The doctor arrives to examine the body and persuades Robert to claim cardiac arrest as the cause of death. He fears Tonder authorities would be drawn in, and believes Jørgen actually killed Ingelise. Robert wrestles with guilt and the prospect of Dorthe being left an orphan.
When:the following day Where:Ingelise's home
- 8
Funeral advice and public suspicion
At Ingelise's funeral luncheon, the priest counsels Robert to watch Jørgen, as the townspeople already suspect him of murder. The atmosphere reveals how quickly the locals condemn a wife-beater and how far they will go to protect their own brand of justice.
When:the day of the funeral Where:Funeral luncheon, Skarrild
- 9
Jørgen abducted to the bog
That night, two cars drive Jørgen out of town and toward the bog; Robert notices and pulls his pistol to stop the men, shocking everyone. He forces the men to back off and retrieves Jørgen, bringing him home at dawn. The incident marks the first direct challenge to the town's private justice by Robert.
When:night to dawn Where:Outskirts of Skarrild; bog; Jørgen's house
- 10
Dorthe's revelation and reassurance
The next morning, Dorthe, who has been hiding at the grocer's, tells Robert she saw him leaving Ingelise's house the night she died. He reassures her that it was a misunderstanding and takes Dorthe back to her father. This strengthens his resolve to keep the family intact while remaining entangled with the villagers' suspicions.
When:morning Where:Grocer's shop; Jørgen's home
Show the other 5 events of Terribly Happy Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Drinking duel ends in murder
Jørgen challenges Robert in a bar, and after six beers and five shots each, they duel back at Robert's apartment. Jørgen retrieves the missing uniform button, and Robert, sensing what happened, shoots him twice, killing him. He then drags the body into the bog and returns to his car to sleep, exhausted and guilt-ridden.
When:that night Where:Bar; Robert's apartment; bog
- 12
Chief's cover-up proposal and a Copenhagen escape
The next morning, the Tonder chief arrives to investigate the boot found in the bog and dredges up the bicycle shop owner's body. He suggests they could declare suicide and send Robert back to Copenhagen, easing his guilt and freeing him from Skarrild. Robert wrestles with the idea of returning to his old life.
When:morning Where:Tonder chief's cruiser; Skarrild
- 13
Packing and the card-game warning
Robert begins packing his bags, preparing to leave Skarrild. He stops by the doctor's ongoing card game to say goodbye, but the locals reveal they know what happened with Ingelise and Jørgen. They tell him they are glad to be rid of them and warn him they know things about him that could hurt him back home.
When:following morning Where:Doctor's card game, Skarrild
- 14
Acceptance as the town's fourth player
The grocer tells Robert, 'You're our man now.' He sits down at the card table and becomes the town's fourth player, accepting a new, uneasy role within Skarrild's vigilante circle. This secures his place and makes him part of the local system of private justice.
When:shortly after confrontation Where:Grocery, Skarrild
- 15
Coda: a new balance in Skarrild
Robert is now part of the villagers' card game and private justice network, having traded his old Copenhagen identity for a place in Skarrild. He appears resigned but a bit unsettled, as he becomes the fourth player in their circle. The town seems to have settled around him, for now.
When:aftermath Where:Skarrild
Who Are the Main Characters in Terribly Happy?
7 characters, among them Robert Hansen (Jakob Cedergren), Jørgen Buhl (Kim Bodnia) and Ingerlise Buhl (Lene Maria Christensen): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Robert Hansen (Jakob Cedergren)
Played by Jakob Cedergren
A Copenhagen police officer reassigned to Skarrild as the village's sole lawman. Fresh from therapy after a breakdown, he longs to return to his daughter and a normal life. He is introspective, morally torn, and quickly finds that the town’s private code clashes with official duty. His attempts to protect Ingelise pull him deeper into a web of guilt and complicity.
- 🕵️ Detective
- 🧠 Internal conflict
- 💔 Guilt
-
Jørgen Buhl (Kim Bodnia)
Played by Kim Bodnia
Ingelise's abusive husband, a heavy drinker whose aggression triggers the tragedy at the heart of the village. His presence and subsequent fate become the catalyst for the town’s whispered justice. He embodies the toxic social dynamics that push people toward private punishment rather than formal law.
- 😡 Abuser
- 🧱 Aggressive
- 🕯️ Hidden power
- IB
Ingerlise Buhl (Lene Maria Christensen)
Played by Lene Maria Christensen
A victim of marital abuse who insinuates herself into Robert's life, seeking protection and sometimes exploiting the situation for leverage. Her actions pull Robert deeper into the town’s web of secrets. She is both vulnerable and instrumental in driving the moral tension of the story.
- 💔 Victim
- 🕊️ Vulnerable
- 🤝 Complex
- DZ
Dr. Zerleng (Lars Brygmann)
Played by Lars Brygmann
The local doctor who becomes a quiet guardian of the town’s secrets, pushing for a discreet resolution to avoid scandal. He influences the narrative by declaring the death a cardiac arrest, protecting the community from outside scrutiny. His involvement exposes how professional discretion can uphold collective silence over truth.
- ⚗️ Doctor
- 🤫 Secret-keeper
- 🧭 Insider
- CO
Chief of Police (Jens Jørn Spottag)
Played by Jens Jørn Spottag
The Tonder chief who relocates Robert and later weighs the possibility of a cover-up. He represents formal authority, yet his stance is swayed by the town’s unspoken consensus. His presence underscores the tension between institutional power and local complicity.
- 🏛️ Authority
- 🧭 Bureaucracy
- 🤝 Pressure
- B(
Bartender (Bodil Jørgensen)
Played by Bodil Jørgensen
A local figure who witnesses and participates in Skarrild’s quiet social order. Her conversations with Robert reveal how intimate knowledge of the town’s dynamics can shield or expose others. She embodies the everyday complicity that keeps the town’s code intact.
- 🍷 Bartender
- 🗣️ Observer
- 🧩 Complicity
- P(
Priest (Henrik Lykkegaard)
Played by Henrik Lykkegaard
The village priest who provides moral guidance while echoing the townspeople’s judgments. He hints at collective guilt and the danger of letting public opinion govern private lives. He functions as a symbolic anchor for faith and communal discipline.
- ⛪ Priest
- 🧭 Moral authority
- 🕊️ Judgment
Where and When Is Terribly Happy Set?
Terribly Happy is set in Skarrild and Tonder. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Skarrild, Tonder
Skarrild is a small Danish village set in a damp boggy lowland, an environment that fosters a claustrophobic, insular mood. The town relies on informal, private justice rather than formal policing, shaping how its residents interact and resolve conflicts. The bar, the grocery, and the church are key spaces where unspoken rules govern behavior and reputations. The landscape itself—wet, flat, and concealing—acts as a backdrop for moral ambiguity and hidden truths.
- 🏞️ Small-town setting
- 🌫️ Boggy lowland
- 🧭 Isolated community
- 🕵️ Police presence
What Are the Themes of Terribly Happy?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Justice, Guilt and Secrets.
-
01
Justice
In Skarrild, formal law and private vengeance collide as the town prioritizes communal norms over police intervention. Robert's struggle to balance duty with protection exposes the fragility of a system that rejects outside interference. The doctor and locals push a narrative that keeps the peace at the expense of truth, revealing how easily justice can be corrupted by consensus.
-
02
Guilt
Robert carries guilt over Ingelise's death, wrestling with whether his actions were protective or complicit. The pressure from the doctor and townsfolk to accept a neat explanation compounds his internal conflict. The weight of silence and concealed motives intensifies his sense of isolation and moral doubt.
-
03
Secrets
The village operates on a web of secrets maintained by its key figures—the doctor, the priest, the bartender, and others who know more than they admit. Missing shops, whispered judgments, and private card games form a covert network that shapes events. These hidden truths sustain a fragile order, while also threatening to unravel when exposed.
What Kind of Film Is Terribly Happy?
Dark in tone, with slow pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A slow-burning, deeply unsettling psychological thriller that immerses the viewer in the oppressive atmosphere of an isolated town where moral decay is infectious and the line between law and primal justice dissolves.
- claustrophobic
- oppressive
- uneasy
- sinister
- melancholic
- fatalistic
- small town secrets
- moral corruption
- domestic abuse
- guilt and cover-up
Content notes: domestic abuse, murder, child endangerment, psychological trauma.
Quiz
How well do you remember Terribly Happy? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Terribly Happy
Stream it on Hoopla and Kanopy, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Stream 3
Hoopla 
Kanopy 
OVID 
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
