Some 85 films were submitted for consideration for the 2017 best foreign language Oscar. Sweden’s entry, A Man Called Ove, made the final shortlist of five before losing out to Iran’s The Salesman. The other 80 must have been appalling if the Hannes Holm-helmed dramedy was seen as one of the best of the year (Julieta, Elle, Neruda, My Life as a Zucchini are just a few that failed to make that final five).
Lonely, grumpy widower Rolf Lassgård learns to smile again after a new family moves into the neighbourhood. Off-kilter humour early on gives way to crowd pleasing tosh, resulting in disjointed comedic sentimentality. Deeply unimpressed.
Nominated for 2 Oscars in 2017 – best foreign language film & make -up.
Rating: 31%
Director: Hannes Holm (Klassfesten, Adam & Eva)
Writer: Hannes Holm (Klassfesten, Adam & Eva) – adapted from the novel by Fredrik Backman
Main cast: Rolf Lassgård (After the Wedding, The Hunters), Bahar Pars (Knãcka, Når mōrkret faller), Filip Berg (Eternal Summer, Orion)
An Opinion or Two 