King’s Game

Eleven days before the parliamentary election, the Centre Party's main candidate and his wife are injured in a car accident. The candidate's condition is described as critical and it remains unclear whether he will survive. His wife is hospitalized as well, and she is kept in the dark about her husband's status. Hospital officials withhold details from the public.

The next day, Torp is assigned to cover the election. He quickly becomes drawn into the Centre Party's internal power struggle between Erik Dreyer and Lone Kjeldsen. A sense of urgency grips the newsroom as political maneuvering overtakes routine reporting.

Torp writes his first front-page story after a tip-off from the Centre Party press coordinator, Peter Schou. The piece is later revealed to be planted spin designed to damage Lone Kjeldsen's credibility and tilt momentum toward Dreyer. The revelation highlights how media manipulation can shape political outcomes.

Ulrik resolves to uncover the truth behind the spread of misinformation that undermines Kjeldsen's campaign. He traces the lies to their source and presents his findings to the editor and the paper's owner, who turns out to be an old college friend of Dreyer. The revelation triggers a defensive mood at the paper, complicating Torp's position.

With this new alignment, Torp is fired from the paper. The media's internal power dynamics appear to shield Dreyer's campaign. Torp feels betrayed as his pursuit of the truth is cut short.

Torp confronts Dreyer about what he believes is a cover-up surrounding the death of Centre Party leader Aksel Brunn. Brunn is reported to be on life support, but sources tell Torp he was brain dead from day one. Dreyer dismisses Torp as a disgruntled ex-employee.

Investigation into Brunn's case reveals inconsistencies about his condition and the public life-support narrative. It becomes clear that the party leadership has manipulated information to preserve a favorable image. The revelation deepens the political crisis surrounding the campaign.

Among the tactics, Brunn's 22-year-old son is paid to back Dreyer's stall. The payoff is meant to shore up Dreyer's public stance and silence critical voices. This shows the depth of the manipulation behind the campaign.

To salvage the story, Torp joins forces with Henrik Moll, a left-wing stringer, to assemble a more complete account of the manipulation. They pool sources and corroborate key details. The collaboration marks a turning point in the coverage.

Torp and Moll go public on national television, presenting the evidence of the plot and Dreyer's involvement. The broadcast challenges the campaign's trust, forcing Dreyer to respond. Viewers witness a dramatic confrontation between truth-tellers and the political machine.

Although the expose damages Dreyer's credibility briefly, his network of contacts and political influence begins to push him toward the top. The immediate impact fades as supporters rally and opponents remain divided. The film suggests that power can trump truth in the volatile run-up to the election.