Note: Here’s where I found the movie poster.
Introduction:
I had the privilege of seeing this movie while on my vacation to London, England. If you want to read up on that trip, go here. My mom and sister had both read the book and recommended it. I don’t have time to read much these days but the premise sounded fine and the ticket was free for me. (I’d bought the London Pass, which let you attend one of four Curzon theaters at off-peak hours.)
So, I roped a poor friend into going with me to see this. I’m fairly certain we were the youngest in that tiny theater. And I mean tiny! It was the smallest, cutest little theater I’d ever been in. My friends at home have a bigger setup in their living room. Anyway, the theaters in America might be bigger but not many of them serve a cup of cappuccino, which this one did.
Additional Comments (About the movie):
- I don’t generally like movies with subtitles, but this was fine.
- General premise: Grumpy old man finds himself in a strange position thanks to his new neighbors.
- There’s a strong suicide theme throughout the movie, but there’s also both dark and light humor present as well. My personal favorite was his obsession with keeping people from driving where they’re not supposed to.
- Second favorite moment: When his neighbor lady is feeling down and he just goes off on a 2 minute rant including something like: “You’ve escaped Iran, married a loser, and …” It was honest and priceless.
- It’s not a comedy, but there are funny moments. It’s not a tragedy, but there are tragic moments.
- Not a fan of flashbacks, but here they were necessary and well-done.
- Characterization is handled nicely. You learn to love Ove, his wife, his new neighbors, and even that darn cat.
Conclusion:
If you have the time and opportunity, check out A Man Called Ove. Can’t say I’ve seen many foreign films, but this one’s worth seeing. There’s something very moving about the character.
If you don’t want to watch the movie, check out the book:
