Herman repackages childhood angst into adult angst. This may be the most mainstream of Lars Saabye Christensen's works to make the transition to film, and yet it is most outstanding. For full disclosure, I did translate the novel for US publication, but the film exceeded my expectations. Like Lars' characters in "Brennede blomster" and "Ti kniver i hjertet" ("Cross My Heart"), they seem alive, real, and I would guess, based on his life. Herman's speaking of himself in the third person reflects this, I think: the everyman facing everyday without everything he needs, but a dispassionate spectator to what happens while still yet fully involved. Laugh and cry on the edge of a knife.