Elling - Movie Review

I am not well versed in Norwegian cinema. When I came across the title Elling, I was intrigued by the concept of two mentally challenged men who help each other gain independence. It was almost as if someone took Dumb and Dumber and decided to make it into a drama instead of a comedy. The strange thing is...it works.

Elling opens with the title character (played by Per Christian Ellefsen) being removed from his closet by police following the death of him mother. Elling has been sheltered by his mother for forty years and seems to have never been socialized. Public situations create anxiety and dizziness. Elling is sent to a mental institution for rehabilitation. His roommate is an oafish childish man named Kjell Bjarne (Sven Nordin). The two develop an odd symbiotic relationship. It appears that the two possess the right set of characteristics to help each other grow.

It appears that Elling and Kjell have progressed to a point where they are offered a real apartment in Oslo. They are met by a social worker who quickly realizes the two are ill-equipped for independent living. Several false starts provide for good drama and quirky comedy as we experience new beginnings through the eyes of our two would-be heroes. As the two develop new relationships, it puts a strain on their own friendship. Overcoming their own short-comings opens up new opportunities, as Elling discovers his own inner poet.

Elling grew on me very quickly. The characters could have been overdone, but writers Ingvar Ambjornsen and Axel Hellstenius avoided going down that road for a more subtle approach. Although I liked Rain Man, functional mental illness provides a much better platform upon which to build a tender story of love, friendship, adaptation and self-discovery. The characters are perfectly constructed with traits that are credible, consistent and precisely worked into the script. The dialogue is fresh with the subject matter providing for some great conversations and interesting exchanges. Quirky humor is woven throughout the script to provide light-hearted fun.

Ellefsen and Nordin deliver flawless performances as challenged buddies in this film. Their characters display an attentiveness to each other that seemed completely credible. When they display the symptoms of their illness, it is done tastefully and within reason. The temptation to go overboard is kept well in check, making the performances convincing and engaging. They made the characters matter, connecting easily with the audience. Their female neighbor Reidun is nicely crafted by Marit Pia Jacobsen. Their social worker, Frank (Jangen Langhelle) seems a bit rough, but demonstrates a soft side at times. It is a tough love approach that Langhelle makes believable. The cast was brilliant.

Elling got hit with an undeserved R Rating. There is nothing about the mental illness portrayed in this film that was disturbing. The two major items that might affect the rating are cursing and drinking, neither one of which was done to excess. Both were done contextually. There was talk about sex and sexuality and one scene where you can hear someone engaging in sex, but no nudity or visual depictions of sexual activity. I wouldn't have gone above a PG-13 on this one and am puzzled by the rating. The subject matter is exceptional...I would not be opposed to allowing any teenager, and maybe a bit younger, to see this film.

Elling is a touching, thoughtful, quirky buddy film that examines the world through the eyes of two mentally handicapped Norwegians learning to become independent. The excellent dialogue, exceptional acting, interesting plot and careful handling of sensitive issues resulted in an exceptional piece of art. Director Petter Naess should be applauded for putting together a tasteful, satisfying feel-good film with a happy ending. This film was Oscar nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 2002. It lost to No Man's Land, which was a decent film, but inferior to this one. I seldom make a recommendation where I suggest that you immediately drop this into your queue for later, but I am going to do just that. 9/10.

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