gogoschka-1 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

Laura Hein A simple film of simple people with simple intentions, Elling (2001), a Petter Naess film, portrays a pair finding their way through the welfare state of Norway. An authentic focus on the lives of these two men with mental illness grabs sympathy from the audience as they watch the everyday struggles of Elling (Per Christian Ellefsen) and Kjell Bjarne (Sven Nordin). After living the majority of his life with his mother, her unexpected death cripples Elling and his psyche, and we see Elling being forced out of a closet he had been hiding in by the Norway welfare people for his own good will. Elling meets his roommate, Kjell Bjarne who obsesses over the sexy stories Elling tells him. Eventually, the pair find themselves living in a big city welfare apartment provided for them by the Norwegian government. It is here that they build a relationship with their social worker, Frank Asli (Jorgen Langhelle) as they try living day to day life.The topic of mental illness is central to this film, as the two main characters had the Norwegian government intervene in their lives because they were unsuitable to live on their own. Naess chooses to not include the actual diagnoses of each character because he felt that including a clinical diagnosis for each character would dehumanize them. This choice is extremely effective in translating a very likable nature behind the pair no matter their psychological differences. Although, Naess had good intentions of making the two very likable in spite of their mental illness, it also may translate to the audience that all people with mental illness are such simple, good natured, likable people that must be taken care of by their respective state governments. Nonetheless, the simplicity of these two characters definitely grab at the audiences' heartstrings.The character of Elling is a staunch Labour Party supporter and Gro Harlem Brundtland enthusiast which is a major theme throughout the film. Once the unlikely pair move into their government housing, Elling insists on putting an almost angelic photograph of Gro Harlem Brundtland (a major supporter of the welfare state in Norway) in a prominent spot on their dining area wall. Elling has idealized Gro Harlem Brundtland so much that he constantly reads about her and almost substitutes her for his mother and for those who are taking care of him. Such strong support by Elling for this Party can be seen in political disagreements that he has with his new friends at a cabin where he truly believes everything the Labour Party has done is right and true. The viewer may question if Elling clung to this idealism once he could no longer cling to his mother… What seems to draw Elling out of his neurotic rut is the opportunity for new friendship and even family. Kjell Bjarne, no matter how different he is in personality, and Elling demonstrate their friendship when giving each other gifts on Christmas. They both pick something that is truly perfectly inherent to the others personality and this moment is one of the most meaningful and precious of the entire movie, granted Kjell's present was a nude woman on a watch! Elling and Kjell Bjarne provide each other with exactly what each other needs to balance out, which seems to be why the pair is so successful in living on their own and really creating their own family.For such a simple pair of characters, Naess provides a simple amount of locations for scenes. A large amount of the film takes place in the government provided housing that Elling is afraid to leave. Once Elling begins to shed some of his anxieties, we see both Elling and Kjell Bjarne in different places with different people such as a poetry house, cabin, or friends' apartment. Simple cinematic techniques are used as well to compliment the simple characters. The use of voice-over provides extra detail if needed that may not be interpreted from a scene. Besides this technique, there seems to be no flashy devices like those in Hollywood that catch a viewers' attention. But rather, the viewer is able to focus on the characters and their likability and simplistic nature.The film, Elling (2001), is an uplifting story with authentic characters that develop through being forced into the "real world" essentially. There are no hidden things to get from this film, as it is upfront and simple and only wants to provide the story of an unlikely pair coming together to form their own family.

MartinHafer Elling is a very odd man. He lived the first 40 years of his life with his mother--never leaving his home. When she died, he was discovered living in this hovel and was places in a psychiatric institution. Now, over two years later, the hospital is discharging him and he's to share an apartment with his friend Kjell. The problem is Elling IS mentally disturbed--with a lot of assorted symptoms of various anxiety disorders--plus he's just plain weird. As for Kjell, he, too, comes from the hospital and both are VERY awkward when it comes to fitting in to the community. What will happen with these two strange men? Will they make it or will they need to return to the hospital? I noticed that IMDb listed this film as a comedy. I really don't think it is a funny film, nor does it try to be--but it IS quirky. Instead, I see the film as a nice slice of life. It does NOT make fun of the characters but has a nice affection for them. Overall, an engaging and sweet little Norwegian film.

slimtoad20 Sometimes, the smallest rocks make the biggest ripples. This is certainly the case in Peter Næss' Elling, where the bond between two friends affects lives both on-screen and off. While elements of a commentary on Norwegian mental health are present, the film's strengths rely heavily on the friendship between the main character Elling and his roommate Kjell Bjarne as they traverse a world familiar to us, but new to them.Part of what makes Elling so enjoyable is its ability to engage the audience's personal history. Per Christian Ellefsen plays the high-strung Elling as he attempts to adapt into contemporary society. Found alone after his mother's death, he is sent to a state-funded institution in Oslo to learn how to live within the realm of the general public. There, he is paired with another patient who, through sexually-charged escapades, bring the two outside the city and into the dangerous outdoors. But the danger isn't nature - it's society. Elling's nervous troubles, combined with effective filmic techniques, mirror the struggles that many viewers may have faced when trying to fit into the world around them. Elling's experiences are amplified, however, by an unnamed and crippling mental disorder that causes him to collapse, sometimes literally, at the thought of social interaction. Several plot points in the film are dedicated to Elling's adventures into the dangerous public sphere around him. One such instance involves Elling's attempt to visit the local store to obtain groceries. The camera stands far back, revealing the wide scope of the world that Elling must conquer in order to achieve his goal. The sounds of traffic are artificially enhanced as Elling slowly waddles to his destination. The audience then finds him slumped on the ground outside the store, unable to will himself inside. At first, Elling fails miserably with every attempt to adapt, giving in to his hesitations and concerns. The film concludes lightheartedly, though, and the audience is left with little less than admiration for Elling. The film's ability to allow audiences to relate to the unfolding drama is part of what makes it such a satisfying product to watch.Another of Elling's strengths is the use of the dynamic between the two leads. Juxtaposing the stickler-like behavior of Elling is the gentle brute Kjell Bjarne, played by Sven Nordin. The two are paired in an attempt to better rehabilitate each other, and their humorous differences are what drive the film. The several instances of Elling criticizing Kjell Bjarne for his reckless behavior are the most memorable moments of Elling. For example, when Kjell Bjarne begins aiding a sickly woman named Rediun (played by Marit Pia Jacobsen) in a nearby apartment, Elling bombards his friend with a worry-filled rant before Kjell Bjarne forcibly inserts Elling into bed for the night. As the film progresses and Elling begins to understand the world around him, it becomes clear that it is Kjell Bjarne's friendly influence that helps expedite Elling's recovery.Elling also serves, in a broader sense, as a commentary on mental health in Norway and its treatment. Director Peter Næss explicitly stated that he "did not want to make the film about psychiatry." He achieves this desire by purposefully avoiding the specific disabilities that plague both Elling and Kjell Bjarne. Instead, the details are left to the viewer's imagination. In addition, Næss uses the character of the social worker Frank, played by Jørgen Langhelle, to help mediate the societal adaptation for the two main characters. However, Frank is not gentle in his assistance and is quick to anger. One scene pits Frank against Elling as the social worker teaches proper telephone-answering behavior. Elling's insecurities cause the scene to erupt into a shouting match about the practicality of plastic speaking devices. Serving as a tough-loving father figure for the two men, Frank represents the Nordic state and its solution to the mentally handicapped.Films like Elling are unfortunately few and far between. Many films fail to capture the universality of the main character's situation quite like Næss has done. And compared to other Nordic films, Elling is certainly a step away from its overtly tense and sexually- prevalent peers. Although the film failed to win the "Best Foreign Film" Oscar, Elling is, to this day, one of this reviewer's personal favorites. Its uplifting message and enjoyable story continue to positively affect my perspective of quality films. As I watch and share with others, its influence spreads, like ripples in a pond.