With his tenth film, the bittersweet and poignant comedy/drama A Man Called Ove, Swedish writer/director Hannes Holm has the chance to finally reach North American audiences for the first time. Not only has his work landed distribution with Music Box Films after winning three 2015 Guldbagge Awards (Sweden's top film award), but the film earned Sweden's selection to compete for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 89th Academy Awards, and some believe the film could land the country's first nomination since 2004.
And while the pacing is scattershot in key moments, A Man Called Ove could easily find itself on the prestigious shortlist come Oscar nomination morning because overall, this is a terrific film. Adapting Fredrik Backman's beloved 2012 novel, Holm has crafted a caustic, …show more content…
He literally lords over the housing community he resides in, seeing himself as something of a judge, jury, and executioner of the HOA covenants and rules. Occasionally we see neighbors and fellow residents ask him to help them repair this or assist with that, at other times he is rebuffed which only makes me more agitated. Picking up on what she perceives to be his kindness, young mother Parveneh (Bahar Pars) introduces herself to Ove, bringing along her two young daughters and bumbling husband Patrik (Tobias Almborg).
Naturally, he often resorts to lashing out, spitting verbal venom and then, in sadder moments, returns to his makeshift noose or investigates other means to effectuate an end. However, Parvenah won't let him wriggle away. Slowly breaking down his walls, he agrees to teach her how to drive, she sets up situations where Ove must sit and interact with her daughters, who he of course "tolerates", and even finds himself tending to a cat. Eventually, though ever so grumpy and spirited, he starts coming around to them, agreeable even, and protective in ways which sometimes even catch him by
And while the pacing is scattershot in key moments, A Man Called Ove could easily find itself on the prestigious shortlist come Oscar nomination morning because overall, this is a terrific film. Adapting Fredrik Backman's beloved 2012 novel, Holm has crafted a caustic, …show more content…
He literally lords over the housing community he resides in, seeing himself as something of a judge, jury, and executioner of the HOA covenants and rules. Occasionally we see neighbors and fellow residents ask him to help them repair this or assist with that, at other times he is rebuffed which only makes me more agitated. Picking up on what she perceives to be his kindness, young mother Parveneh (Bahar Pars) introduces herself to Ove, bringing along her two young daughters and bumbling husband Patrik (Tobias Almborg).
Naturally, he often resorts to lashing out, spitting verbal venom and then, in sadder moments, returns to his makeshift noose or investigates other means to effectuate an end. However, Parvenah won't let him wriggle away. Slowly breaking down his walls, he agrees to teach her how to drive, she sets up situations where Ove must sit and interact with her daughters, who he of course "tolerates", and even finds himself tending to a cat. Eventually, though ever so grumpy and spirited, he starts coming around to them, agreeable even, and protective in ways which sometimes even catch him by