Snerting

I'm actually surprised there weren't any reviews for this film yet. It has a high score on Rotten Tomatoes.

I am not a very good writer the way other reviews are written, so I'll keep it simple: As you can gather from the trailer, this is a story about an Icelandic man who appears to be reaching a point in his life where he wants to perhaps tie up some loose ends, which included searching for his long lost love. The love affair was set in the rebellious 60s, and featured the younger Kristoffer looking for a job in London while he was still studying abroad from his Icelandic home. He picked a Japanese restaurant because of the help wanted sign outside, but as he was leaving, he saw the restaurant owners daughter and decided he really wanted to work there haha. Well, you can't blame him, Miko, played by the very attractive Koki, has wonderful charisma, and she gave him that second look as she walked away lol. Well, you can sort of guess what happens with the whole dating the boss/father's daughter behind his back, then it's discovered. So the elder Kristoffer was hoping to reconnect with his lost love.

The movie is presented in chronological order, but it jumps back and forth between the present and past. We also get insight into certain stigmatisms that Japanese society can have, and how that affects one's upbringing and destiny.

Overall, it was a very well made film. I found all the actors (the younger and elder versions) very engaging. I was thinking at first this movie was about the young man becoming a better cook at the restaurant, but it's really about the relationship between Kristoffer and Miko.

And if you're worried that there's some sort of over the top, tragic ending, I can't spoil it for you - but you don't have to worry about that.

I hope more people go out to see this film and lend their better writing skills to reviewing this film and hopefully appreciation of it!

Kristofer has limited time and ventures into the world to care for some unfinished business. With a potential global pandemic and the looming threat of countries going into lockdown, he ventures back to his old stomping grounds of London to search for Miko, a woman he loves. While revisiting the places of his youth, he relives a simpler time and what led him to a love he could never forget. Following leads and reconnecting with old friends, Kristofer hopes to feel the romance and love of Miko once again.

This beautiful love story spans decades, cultures, and historical moments. Although the story seems simple initially, it has a few twists and turns as it unfolds through flashbacks. The story is told at a slow pace, in multiple languages, and does stretch a bit. The story also gives a unique perspective of a survivor of the atomic bombing of Japan. Most WWII stories usually do not share much of the aftermath that the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced. The story shares more of the Japanese culture than Icelandic culture. This is a fantastic film and a unique watch for date night or anyone looking to experience multiple feelings simultaneously.

The acting was great by the young and old actors. The pacing was really good. I was worried by the fact the movies constantly jumps between present and past, but I was able to follow without issue most of the times. The story flows very well, and I never lost interest over the 2 hours timeframe. It has a solid conclusion where a few questions are still ligering, but not major to main plotline. It felt like I just followed a old man following his footsteps in a very wholesome journey, and he went through lots of things. The soundtrack in the movie is minimal which I appreciate. I never heard icelandic before. Also, this movie inspiries you to learn a language which is great for those trying to learn a new language.

It's only July 2024 and this is hands down the best film of the year so far. What a dream it would be to see this film be nominated at next year's Oscars for the filmmakers and cast. Hopefully this film will be remembered in some other award races if not the Oscars. The story telling is gentle and beguiling but never slow. There is no wasted moments as Kristofer (Egill Ólafsson) now worried about memory problems after his wife has since passed and living a lonely life in Iceland. He takes the audience on a journey through the start of pandemic through London and Japan (and through extended flashbacks) as he searches for a true love who abandoned him half a century ago. The actors are well chosen for the roles including the actors playing the young Kristofer (Pálmi Kormákur) and his love interest Miko (Kôki). All the emotions and reactions seem natural and their empathy fully earned. A restrained but pivotal role is played by Masahiro Motoki as Miko's father and Kristofer's mentor in Japanese cuisine. Audiences may remember Motoki from the Oscar winning film "Departures". The best films often have stories we wish will never end. We want to know more and this film is no exception. But the ending here is fully satisfying. It's a quietly intense and yet still emotional ending. How do we overcome loss and find the courage to resolve our grief. This story shows how one man finds the will in what initially feels like an impossible situation.

Deeply touching movie, where you slowly get to intimately know several full lives and a lot of partial ones. The main characters feel honest and genuine, while you want to know more even about he supporting cast. The scenes feels right and true, without affectation.

Surprisingly, although every scene appears to have plenty of room, the movie actually cover a lot of ground. .it doesn't stall and ofren takes you in surprising directions, only to make a lot of sense after a few scenes.

At the end, you have experienced the roller-coaster of several lifetimes.

Saw this with few expectatuons, but we were engrossed, moved, laughed and cried,and loved it.

Make sure to watch this absolute delight!