Elling (2001)

I quite liked this movie because it gives a good characterisation of two socially insane people trying to live a normal life in their own flat after they have been locked up in a institution the last two years. Per Christian Ellefsen is very good as the prudish old maid Elling, and Sven Nordin also made me laugh several times as Elling's friend Kjell-Bjarne who is crazy about women. Elling himself discovers after a while that he is a poet, and starts to write poems which he lays in packets of sour cabbage and he then places the packages back in the store, waiting for someone to buy them.

Some of the most funny scenes in this movies is to see how this crazy persons try to deal with situations which normal persons do not think twice about, but these two persons have two battle with themselves to manage an easy thing as answering a phone call.

However, both Elling and his friend Kjell-Bjarne both reach their goals at the end, Kjell-Bjarne gets himself a woman, and someone reads one of Elling's poems.

I considered this movie to be very funny when I saw it, and I certainly hope that someone will make a sequel two it. I have not yet read any of Ingvar Ambjørnsens books about Elling, but maybe I will do so in the future. However, "Elling" is an entertaining movie which mentions serious problems in a humorous way. I will recommend it for everyone who does not need to see braindead action-movies, and I also hope that this movie will be welcomed be foreign critics. This movie does certainly deserve to be shown in other countries than Norway!

Fmovies: Elling has become one of the best Norwegians film to date and it holds a special position because it's probably one of the first Norwegian movies to be exported and viewed by people in a great variety of countries all over the world. And with good reason. Elling was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and that probably gave a lot of promotion. Several other Norwegian films have been nominated for the same category, but no one has had such a great success outside Norway as Elling.

Elling follows the two characters Elling and Kjell Bjarne as they are released from an institution and moves into their own apartment. Both have serious social problems, so their new life is gonna be quite a challenge. As the days goes by they meet a couple of other people witch brings Elling and Kjell Bjarnes relationship to several test.

Based on a book by Ingvar Ambjørnsen, Elling is a well written and very charming movie. The dialog is well written and perfectly delivered. It is a movie out of the ordinary and something for everyone to enjoy. No matter country or generation. The lovable characters of Elling and Kjell Bjarne is excellent portrayed by Per Christian Ellefsen and Sven Nordin. Peter Næss does a good job in the directors chair and Lars Lillo-Stenberg gives the movie a nice score. All together this make up a great, funny, charming and lovely movie. Elling is a comedy, yet it is also a drama. The characters and the actors who brings them to life is just hilarious, yet their social dysfunction is a rather serious problem and you kind of feel bad for them and wish them to get better. Elling might have the biggest problem as he have to deal with his jealousy when Kjell Bjarne meets someone else. The interaction between the characters and Elling jealousy is very well captured and that's partly what makes this a great movie.

If you ought to see one Norwegian movie Elling should be it! That way it will not be the last Norwegian movie you see.

This has to be one of the best films from Norway that I've ever seen. OK, so it's the first film from Norway that I've ever seen, but it is a great movie. Very uplifting and heartwarming, yet the characters are very interesting and believable unlike many movies out there these days. And a quick reply to Andrés M. Rais who felt that this movie was "feel-good propaganda". Sorry if life isn't always great, in fact most of the time it just plain sucks. But that is why we watch movies. If you go into every movie expecting bad endings and horrible things to happen all the time, because that is how you feel life is, you need to re-examine your view on life (maybe get some Prozac too). Go rent a documentary about genocide, famine, and global warming, and keep your negative comments to yourself please. Almost every other comment on this site has been positive, so if you are trying to decide whether or not to watch this movie, just ignore Andrés.

BTW: If you liked the movie Amelie, you will probably like this movie (also, if you liked this movie, you will probably like Amelie :).

Elling fmovies. This is the main theme of the film: Hold on to your dream and never give up in life.

I think Per Christian Ellefsen's performance as Elling was pretty much the best acting I've seen in my life. Sven Nordin reminds a little bit of Gerard Depardieu, and the character he plays reminds a tiny bit of Lenny of "Of Mice And Men" but more intelligent.

It's the story of two men who are apparently too old to start their "own" lives, but virtually have to do so by all means as a result of their lives up to date. Neither of them is substantially retarded or mad, just a little bit over-eccentric which makes things harder for them. One day, the competent authorities of the Norwegian government decide to release them from their "captivity" in the institution, and give them a chance to live a "real life" on their very own, and social worker Frank is there to assist them. It won't be easy for the two socially-impaired men, but it will turn out to be easier and nicer than they (especially Elling) fear.

The rest is for you to watch in the film. And by all means, watch it! Per Christian Ellefsen's acting is absolutely fascinating, and everything is well put in the scenario. A beautiful film from a beautiful country.

A comedy masterpiece. Sometimes tragic but more often outrageously funny, this wonderful tale of two mentally challenged outcasts caught me fully unprepared.

There wasn't a single face without a wide grin in the audience after this film. An amazing script, fantastic actors: this was the feel-good movie of 2001. 9 stars out of 10.

In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:

imdb.com/list/ls070242495

For me, this is one of the real highlight's of the Cambridge Film Festival 2002. A beautiful, moving, funny, and heartwarming film that manages to avoid any cheap sentimentality. Elling is a middle-aged man who once lived an isolated existence with his mother, but is taken into an institution when his mother dies. The film follows his progress in coming to terms with the world. Per Christian Ellefsen gives a stunning performance as Elling. A must see movie.