Un ami qui en impose

we saw this movie on a kids-filmfestival in vienna and me and my children (son 11, daughter 13) really, really likes these movie! the first statement of my son was: "please, could we buy this film on DVD!"

the story is far-reaching, funny and "very cool" (my son). the camera is watching these young adults very sensible and shows all their problems, dreams, youthfully language and aesthetic codes. it is also a good film about "real" and no-real friends!

it's a great pity that the film is at the moment only in the original norwegian-version, without a (dvd-)version in German or English translation. hopefully we will find this film very soon in German translation!!

explicit recommendation from the age of 11 till ...?

This Norwegian coming-off-age film has an original angle, a good heart and a plot which only occasionally comes off as contrived. Director Arild Frölich demonstrates some stylistic flair and commands the narrative quite well, even if some of the interpersonal scenes seem rushed and a little bumpy. Young lead actor Petrus Andreas Christiansen as Jim does a very good job in carrying the film's drama, even in segments where his young co-stars are floundering. Atle Antonsen, as the father of the title character, is a fun comic relief as always. The script was written by Endre Lund Eriksen, based on his own novel.

Sometimes it happens that you switch on the telly and you fall into a film which began five minutes ago - and although you have no idea what this film is about or where it will lead, you just can't stop watching because the actors and their characters keep you prisoner. This happened to me this Saturday lunch time.

If someone tells you simply the story line in one sentence, "there's a boy who is about 11 who meets a new classmate who is big and fat and no one likes him, and that fat boy forces the first boy to be friends with him while the first boy actually would like to be friends with the class bully, and has a mother who suffers from agoraphobia and the fat boy's father is a drunk who works as a rude Father Christmas"- well, then you probably would think, erm, no thanks, not for me, too weird. But this weird story works brilliantly.

Both boy actors are great, very natural, good acting for their age, some adults could learn a thing or two from them; good acting equally from mother, father, teacher and other children from school. There is something about Scandinavian films, that you rarely find in other films, and I can't quite find the right words to describe it. They have a way to present the quirkiest story as if it could happen to you any time. And that makes it magically good and you want more like it.

Also look out for the actor who plays the teacher, Andreas Cappelen, in Monstertorsdag, another weird film, yet for an entirely adult audience.

This film here deserves a clear 9 out of 10.

12 year old Jim is trying to fit in with his other classmates, specially the bully in the class, even though he is just getting used. But things start to change the day Terje starts in his class. He calls himself Pitbullterje, and claims to have a pitbull that kills. Jim is terrified of the big new guy, but even more confused to find that Pitbullterje has decided to become his new best-friend. Both Jim and Terje have a single parent that they don't want others to see. Jim's mom is suffering from anxiety, and Terje's dad is the alcoholic mall-santa. They find their friendship difficult to maintain and problems at home doesn't make things any better.

This is a warm and cute Christmas film, not just for the youngest, quite fun for the whole family. Bit strange, and a bit dark, but it works. And the Playmo sequences are brilliant.