A man named Ove – Göteborgs-Posten

DRAMA / COMEDY

A man named Ove

Director: Hannes Holm

Rolf Lassgård, Bahar Pars, Ida Engvoll, Philip Berg, Börje Lundberg, Anna-Lena Berg Elin and Johan Widerberg

Sweden, 2015 (115 min)

The GP’s critic: Lassgård finds the perfect balance between comedy and tragedy.

I believe that anyone who read Fredrik Backman’s novel, A man named Ove (the book came out in 2012) may give suggestions for actors who would fit well in the role of the surly 59-year-old Saab-owner and newly-appointed widower Ove on film. Three obvious candidates are Kjell Bergqvist, Robert Gustafsson and, of course, Johan Rheborg, who plays Ove on stage in Stockholm.

Director and writer Hannes Holm, however, and somewhat unexpectedly, chosen to give the role to Rolf Lassgård, who is not known for being particularly funny. In the film it turns quickly to Lassgård is a success. He finds a perfect balance between comedy and tragedy. Except for the flashbacks, when a great Filipsberg portrays Ove young, and we have explained why Ove become who he is, dominating Lassgård every scene, and he does it brilliantly. Reasonably need this 60-year-old character actor to have good chances to win a Guldbagge for Best Actor award at the gala on 18 January.

To Backmans book a success is all about the high recognition factor. Whether you live in a townhouse, villa or flerfamiljhus there is usually an equivalent to Ove in the area. A self-appointed prefect (there is always a man) wearing away illegally parked bicycles, write angry notes and chastises those fellows who forgot to close the gate properly.

But beyond the anger and fret the film’s Ove others, sympathetic and loving, pages. Pages that he shows when he visits his wife Sonja’s grave (in flashbacks played Sonja Ida Engvoll).

The film’s recurring theme that Ove going to kill himself, to reunited with Sonja. Each time he will get to work occurs, however, it is something that must be controlled in terraced area. For example, the new residents Persian woman Parvaneh (Bahar Pars) a man driving a car as a rake, and so one can not have it. Ove’s whining and sarcasm do not bite on an independent and fearless Parvaneh. She is convinced that this kroniske kverulanten can evolve for the better, if he gets a little help, that is.

Against Holm movie may be argued that it mainly consists of a lot episodes / situations Ove declared / skits and a film-traditional explains the drive is missing. Holm also makes the common mistake when books filmed that he is trying to get too much in the novel model in the film. He had easily been able to skip some siding, he still did not have time to develop, and brought down the playing time to ninety minutes.

Otherwise almost everything good in the movie. Tragikomiken, the game between Lassgård and Pars, the accurate dialogue. I bet that a man named Ove audience terms will function in the same way as the One hundred year old who climbed out the window and disappeared , that had cinema release Christmas Day 2013. When the Christmas meal is eaten and a cinema attracts most people choose a Swedish film with an old man in the center.

Footnote: A man named Ove theatrical release on Christmas Day.

Also read the story: Rolf Lassgård make Christmas most acidic film hubby