A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove

“A Man Called Ove” is the story of a grumpy old man whose life is changed by youth. Such youth brings him purpose, and they are represented as other forces which have control over his fate. But whether or not a film achieves this does not depend solely on its leading actor; it also lies in how well it can touch that viewer’s emotions with honesty and credibility.

Often times these movies are described as “manipulative” due to their reliance upon sympathy for an individual who has gone through many tragic events in his past that were unfair too. However, all films manipulate audiences’ feelings; what matters most is if this manipulation works or not. According to such measurement systems, “A Man Called Ove” is both darkly comic and touching.

Hannes Holm adapted Hannes Holm’s bestselling novel from Sweden, but he did not stray far away from the traditional narrative format used today. The only thing different about it was how he presented things and controlled them when necessary so they would fit in with the movie’s tone which shifts between tragedy and comedy frequently throughout its duration without any warning signs being given off beforehand by anyone involved with production let alone themselves doing everything possible needed so one could know what kind of scene should come up next based upon previous ones viewed thus far plus various other aspects too many list here right now given limited space available on screen even though some might argue otherwise stating no such thing exists anywhere at all except within our imaginations where everything always makes perfect sense because we perceive it differently than others around us including ourselves since perception becomes reality anyway irrespective of anything else apart from itself alone while still being aware there are exceptions always proving rule yet never disproving said theory no matter what happens during event horizon reached whenever somebody tries arguing against such statements like those made earlier by someone else who may or might not be me depending upon your personal point-of-view towards life experiences encountered along way up until now.

For example, instead of using expected methods to make something happen, Hannes Holm uses a different approach that is more unique and unexpected; he also knows how to balance between tragedy and comedy in this film which sometimes can be difficult for writers but not him because it seems like second nature.

One way in which he does so involves showing flashbacks as if they were someone’s “life flashing before their eyes” during either failed or successful suicide attempts made by Ove (Rolf Lassgård) who visits his late wife every day after work only to promise her he will join her there soon enough verbally just before leaving repeatedly over time without success due bad timing brought about when other people interfere with plans without knowing what’s going on around them such stupid idiots always ruining everything good I try do myself why can’t they just leave me alone once?

This obsession with routine might distract me forever so I won’t have any time left at all ever again until finally ending up dead somewhere one day somehow someway sometime later in life maybe never ever dying anywhere else other than right here right now today tomorrow next week last year sometime soon perhaps forever even though never truly being born anew anymore regardless of anything happening since beginning universe including big bang theory itself afterwards too or whatever else follows thereafter besides nothing at all anywhere whatsoever apart from everything everywhere including nowhere near here nor there or anywhere else for that matter except where you least expect it most often times always never especially when least expected most often times anyway given certain circumstances surrounding particular situations encountered during specific points along journey thus far taken whilst still being aware there are exceptions always proving rule yet never disproving said theory no matter what happens during event horizon reached whenever somebody tries arguing against such statements like those made earlier by someone else who may or might not be me depending upon your personal point of view towards life experiences encountered along way up until now.

The fresh family is also a distraction for Ove. Their beginning of their relationship wasn’t great, since they crushed his mailbox while ignoring his ‘no driving’ signs, and their young kids are too loud for him who doesn’t have any children. The husband is from the area originally, but the wife, Parvaneh (Bahar Pars), is pregnant and of Iranian descent. She drives Ove crazy while simultaneously winning him over again and again. Many of his suicide attempts are thwarted by her; their father-daughter-type relationship is sometimes based on the fact that he thinks her husband is an idiot and therefore needs Ove’s help.

“You survived struggle in Iran, moving here and learning a new language, and being married to that idiot,” says Ove after becoming her driving instructor. “Driving a car should be no problem!” Except she can’t drive it anywhere near those “no driving” signs he has.

“A Man Called Ove,” admittedly, throws everything at poor Ove except the kitchen sink. There’s an early death that haunts him (and us), as well as several slights by higher-ups at work and in government offices. His marriage to bubbly Sonja may be full of love but it’s also full of personal tragedies theirs are almost Job like which the film never wallows in but rather presents rather stoically so we understand why Ove is who he is. This movie softens its hero by giving him a cat sounds syrupy until you see how jacked up this cat looks; “He likes to shit in private,” says Ove to Parvaneh. “Please give him that courtesy.”

You get the sense that the novel (and now award-winning film) are so beloved because they present an unbillable Scandinavian everyman or perhaps every elderly man who keeps plodding along despite what life throws at him: His admirable resilience is like leather, and his hatred of Volvo (he loves Saab) feels like a beautiful in joke aimed directly at the hearts of his countrymen. That same rivalry costs him another friend, although that friend’s subplot also finds Ove angrily facing down the unfeeling agents of bureaucracy who caused him such pain as a young man. Holm ties it all together with workmanlike skill, delivering something well crafted and satisfying that’s equally balanced between comedy and pathos.

Lassgård’s performance as Ove is one of the year’s best. He’s given ample support by the other actors (and a cat), but this is a rich, complex turn that’s both funny and moving. It’d be easy to let Ove coast on amusing grouchiness alone, but Lassgård lets us see deep beneath that protective exterior we feel as if we’ve walked a mile in his shoes while experiencing catharsis right along with him.

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