A young writer named Espen Arnakke tells the story of his escape from the small Danish town of Jante. Espen boards a ship headed to Newfoundland, but the harsh conditions on board makes him jump ship, and he ends up in the little town of Misery Harbour. There he meets the girl of his dreams. But his passion shifts to jealousy when one of the men from the ship mysteriously appears in town, and sets out to make Espen's life a misery.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
 Nikolaj Coster-WaldauEspen Arnakke | Espen Arnakke |
 Stuart GrahamJohn Wakefield | John Wakefield |
 Anneke von der LippeJenny | Jenny |
 Bjørn FlobergJohan Hoeg | Johan Hoeg |
 Hywel BennettThe Captain | The Captain |
 Margot FinleyEva | Eva |
| MMichael WadeStoker | Stoker |
 Graham GreeneBurly | Burly |
 Knut HusebøCafe guest | Cafe guest |
| EEspen HaavardsholmCafe guest | Cafe guest |
 Anne KrigsvollCafe guest | Cafe guest |
 John Sigurd KristensenCafe guest | Cafe guest |
| JJeanne BøeCafe guest | Cafe guest |
| TTonja Sitara SanbornCafe guest | Cafe guest |
| SSven HenriksenHovmester | Hovmester |
 Sturla Berg-JohansenKelner | Kelner |
 Stig HoffmeyerWilhelm Arnakke | Wilhelm Arnakke |
| EElse QualmannAmalia Arnakke | Amalia Arnakke |
| HHenrik SlothJanus | Janus |
 Stephanie LeonAgnes | Agnes |
 Marina BourasRose | Rose |
 Tomas Villum JensenJørgen | Jørgen |
 Niels-Martin EriksenElvind | Elvind |
| TTove OlsenShop owner's wife | Shop owner's wife |
| LLars Göran PerssonThe mate | The mate |
| MMats HelinThe cook | The cook |
| SSherry WhiteGertrude | Gertrude |
| MMack BarfootKelly | Kelly |
| AAnthony AyreOlder man | Older man |
| AAnn Marie AnonsenWoman 1 | Woman 1 |