User reviews

"Jak kan flyga. Jag är inte rädd."

Stig Helmer (Lasse Åberg) cements his status as lovable nerd in Sällskapsresan (1980), a goofy lanky man who never quite stopped being a shy boy. His nickname is "The Giraff" and he always ends up saying the wrongs things. Although this film is one of many in a series of cult comedies starring Åberg and his band of eccentric friends, it is the funniest and most memorable one. If you live in Scandinavia, you will have seen it a dozen of times and if you have grown up in the typical Swedish way, you will have laughed at it even more so.

Sällskapsresan sees Stig Helmer and his Norwegian friend Ole Bramserud on a charter-trip to the Canary Islands. Stig Helmer is asked by his doctor to deliver a package to a friend of his at the destination and oblivious to the fact that it contains 50,000 SEK, Stig accidentally loses it at the airport and a hilarious mess ensues. But this little criminal detour is not what is funny about the film. The many laughs come from seeing Stig Helmer's clumsy and naive ways juxtaposed to the sleek jet-set style of the pretentious travel guides.

What elevates Sällskapsresan (1980) and its sequels above generic comedy formula is its brilliant, clear-eyed use of Swedish clichés. Everyone who is a child of the 1950s-1980s has probably been to the Canary Islands at one time or another and encountered the silly tourist things that are present in this film. Here they are overblown and hilarious, but still subtle enough to get us to identify with them. The whole film is really extremely realistic, as are all its stereotypical characters. A real classic.

8.5/10

`Sällskapsresan' is a genuine situation-comedy with hilarious characters, how truly are Swedish stereotypes. By seeing this movie, the international public can get a real good look how Swedish people behave themselves (or at least used to) on charters. As the main characters we can se Lasse Åberg and Jon Skolmen. And they probably makes there best performance of there life's. Every minute of this movie brings us something laughable. Just sit back and relax, with a exotic drink in your hand, and enjoy this simple, wonderful film how makes you feel great the rest of the day.

The first two films in the Sällskapsresan series do not have such an original script as most Swedes would think.

Both of of these are, if not copies, very and I do mean VERY similar to French "Les Bronzés" from 1978 (http://imdb.com/title/tt0077276/) and "Les Bronzés font du ski" from 1979 (http://imdb.com/title/tt0078907/).

It might be a good adaptation but it's not the brainchild of Åberg. This can be seen in the following films in this series where the quality is not even half as good as in the first two. Could lack of "inspiration" be the reason. Now Åberg had to come up with his own script and if you compare the first two with the others you will see the point.

The first two films are however still a good laugh

This may not be much of a comedy in the fundamental sense, but Lasse Åberg's Sällskapsresan is a fine little feel-good flick and a valid peak at the first wave of Scandinavian sun travels to the Canary Islands. In the midst of all the obvious buffoonery made to mock and make fun of everything from Swedish stereotypes and snobbish businessmen to Catholic chastity, the film has a sincerity and an authentic charm that makes it impossible to dislike. Stig-Helmer Olsson, played by writer/director Lasse Åberg, and his Norwegian buddy Ole Bramserud, played by a bubbly Jon Skolmen, make for a delightful duo.

Sällskapsresan is a work from a true genious: Lasse Åberg.

In this movie he makes fun of all typical charter-tourists who became a large group in the late 70's during the charter-boom in Sweden. The characters he has created are very special in their kind of way. We have for example two semi-alcoholics, one typical "swedish-couple", one norwegian, one swedish and two teenage sprited middle-aged women who are looking for fun and pleasure in their holiday. All these characters blend real good as Lasse adds a sort of calmness with his Winnie the Pooh-ish character Stig-Helmer.

This movie has been watched and amused by the whole population of Sweden. Still, 21 years after its release, it's still a very, VERY funny movie to watch as the people in the movie still exists on charter-trips.

A gifted mans masterpiece and gift to the people of Sweden.

"Selskabrejsen" as it's called in Denmark is absolutely the best comedy I have ever seen. Stig-Helmer and his Norwegian friend Ole are fantastic together. The different Swedish characters in the sunny south are individually extremely funny in a this-could-really-be-true way. Just let me mention the drunk and his friend. Their "Ra-da-da-da-da!!" and swinging their fingers every time they see a chick is classic and almost impossible for myself not to copy. The friend turning the drunk every half hour in the sun as the drunk himself is unconscious all the time is another example. The guide, the "bad guys" ,the nerd .... Nobody is "filling up" but has his or her own funny story to tell. I have seen the film at least 5 times and every time, it's as funny as the last time. Even now 26 years after it's release. A true classic.

Sällskabsresan 2, in which Stig-Helmer and Ole travel on a skiing vacation in the Alps is almost as good and very recommendable.

This is a very funny movie. Discount charter holidays are almost indigenously Scandinavian and seeing them the target of such a hilarious mockery is really quite entertaining. Lasse Åberg is the best low key comedian ever to come out of the film industry. Rowan Atkinson simply must have seen his movies when inventing Mr. Bean.

The story is ludicrous. There are almost no funny scenes. I fell asleep a couple of times. Maybe this is a classic for Swrdish cinema but who can understand why?

Time to bury this.

Stig H Olsson is the hero in all of Sweden. Everybody loves him and his crazy idés. Everybody can relate to Stig H and his maners... Sällskapsresan is a movie that everybody enjoys and laughs about. This movie is 20 years old buy both young and old are still watching and enjoying this movie.

In the movie Stig H Olsson and his friend Ole Bramserud from Norway travels to the Canary Islands on a vacation along with other Swedes. Then we get to see how we tourists behave ourselfs. It´s not always so rational and logical behavior. Watch this movie it´s definitely worth it!

One of the truly greatest (and perhaps most genuinely Swedish) comedies ever to have graced the silver screen. Magnificent in just about every detail...

This is a cult comedy classic. The best comedy movie ever produced by the Swedish film industry. Stig H. Olsson is a character that everyone in Sweden knows, he's charm and neediness is extremely well done. And this vacation comedy really has is all and will go down in the history book as the best Swedish comedy ever made.

This movie about Stig-Helmer and his Norwegian friend Ole is a true classic.You can not stop laughing,it got all the different characters on a holiday in the sun(the drunk,the nerd,the womanizer and the grumpy business guy).

You must see it!

So, this was recommended to me by an older Swedish colleague who said this had always been their "family-favourite". Thus I watched it together with my Swedish kids (I am Danish and have never seen this movie before) and I regret to say that they did not appreciate the warm and subtle Scandinavian humor from before.

Seeing it with their eyes I also must admit that having fun in this movie evolves around stereotypic scenarios, "dads" (or just grown men) being drunk, ladies looking to be looked at - and - presumably trying to get a guy to get laid discussion different strategies to achieving this while smoking and putting on make-up.

It is difficult not to set a 10/10 rating since this is probably, among Swedes, the most popular Swedish movie ever. Lines from this movie are nowadays referred to in the Swedish language and culture.

If you are not Swedish, you may find the movie a bit difficult to fully appreciate. My advice is to watch it more than once, and you will discover the brilliant timing in dialogues and the amazing chemistry between the actors. There are, however, some hilarious scenes that you may not comprehend without an understanding of Swedish culture and behaviour.

What makes this movie so special is the funny clash in culture and traditions between the cheerful Swedish tourists and the domestic Spanish population. The relation to alcohol was repeatedly made fun of, considering that Sweden was, and still is, restrictive when it comes to alcohol consumption.

This is a cult classic.

I've seen this movie so many times and NEVER have I gotten tired of it, I see it multiple times a year and remember all the lines.

It's fun and lot of the skits are based on real life experience from stories told by swedish travel agencies.

The woman who plays Mrs. Storch is not a proffessional actor, but rather a real life travel agent that was a consultant on the movie.

Lasse Åberg thought she was amazing and funny and asked if she wanted to play Mrs. Storch.

But by any means, it might not live up to todays comedy standards, but it's really funny in a silly way and you kinda have to know a little about swedish culture and society to understand the jokes.

So this is not a movie for everyone and anyone, but if you like old comedies, then watch this movie.