Salmer fra kjøkkenet

This movie pokes fun, in a very gentle way, at a whole lot of things. At the Swedes and their "Ikea-type" market research, at the Norwegians and their laconic ways, and at the strange ways of humans altogether. This movie manages to be moving without being sentimental or manipulative. What I mean here is that the element of manipulation that is quite obvious in many of the more sophisticated recent "feel good" movies I generally enjoy (you know the ones I mean - Cinema Paradiso, Billy Elliot etc.) is not in evidence here. We are getting at something pretty basic and human with "Kitchen Stories". The movie tracks the unlikely relationship that develops between the Swedish market researcher, sent to observe (and strictly forbidden to interact with the subject of his study) the kitchen ways of his crusty Norwegian bachelor "host". Sounds rather minimal but this is a movie that is as good as a movie can get. Perfect pacing, perfect acting, perfect camera work, perfect story. While the movie can be enjoyed on the tv, as video, I think that it is best seen on a larger screen in a movie theater because the visual impact is strong. You come out of this movie a happier person than went in and that is worth something these days !

This film was a surprise since we went without any preconceptions, having avoided reading about it beforehand. It is a droll attempt at film making by Bent Hamer, the director, who collaborated on the scenario.

The film presents a story that on its surface seems to be one thing, but deep inside there is an ode to friendship between two different, but stoic Scandinavian men, Isak and Folke, whose lives become entwined as they discover how they are similar, despite of all appearances. The story is set in the bleak and snowy Norwegian winter.

In the end, Folke is a better man by having known Isak, the man who he doesn't understand at the beginning of the story, but who unknown to him, was always looking over him, without the other one knowing it.

The three principals are very well portrayed. This film will resonate with people that find themselves alone at the last stages of their lives, and how they are changed by opening up to perfect strangers who are going through the same thing themselves.

When I picked up this DVD, I noticed two prominent words on the front--"Hilarious" and "Funny". After seeing the film, I think these are both completely inappropriate descriptions of the film. So, of course, some advertising idiots decided to promote this as a hilarious comedy, even though this did not appear to be the intention of those who made the movie! There are a few mildly funny moments, but it just isn't a comedy. Instead, it's a slight slice of life film about a Swedish company that prides itself on scientifically investigating EVERYTHING there is about kitchens. The story centers on one of their studies which is done with Norwegian bachelors. They decided to send observers into these kitchens and passively watch and record the movement patterns of these men. The observers and observed are under strict orders NOT to interact in any way.

This story centers on one home. At first, the bachelor doesn't want to even allow the observer in the home. Then, once he begrudgingly lets him in, their relationship is pretty tense. However, over time it is natural that a bond is created between them. The acting is good and the story generally pretty compelling. Not a bad little unusual film, but for some reason the writers decided to end the movie on a down note--I can understand the choice, but don't agree with it at all.

There's no avoiding it: "Kitchen Stories" is hopelessly boring. It is slow, uneventful, tacit, and wry. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. It also happens to be hilariously understated and brilliantly dry. It's motive is clear and straightforward, there are no surprises or twists, only the observation of two men: one who must observe, the other who must be observed. Of course, humans are not meant to be that way, and everything falls out of the way it is supposed to. The scientific study of single male's kitchen activities is carried out in high chairs strategically placed in the corner of the kitchen. But the observer, Folke, and the observed, Isak, form a friendship and a bond, quietly, and ever so slowly. There is a small twist at the end, but when you think about it, with all of the very small funny moments leading up to it (getting radio stations through a gold tooth, Isak eating dinner in his room instead of his kitchen), you realize at the end that everything is the way it should be. This movie is a small masterpiece, slow and dry, yet hilarious and perfect. This is a movie with no villains and no heroes, just regular people, eating in their kitchen. At the end, even though you may have looked at your watch a few times, you leave satisfied and with a silly little grin on your face.

My grade: 7.5/10

How do you make a film… no SELL the idea of a film, whose premise is the following? Take 1950 era Swedish scientists, whose goal is to find men who live alone in the wilderness and study their ‘kitchen habits' at home for the purpose of building a more efficient living space for people. I am sure if any writer walking into Hollywood with that script would be instantly flogged before he even set foot in a studio executive boardroom. A story like this obviously seems to set itself up as a comedy, since the story is so obviously absurd, but what viewers come out with after witnessing this film is the great appreciation and the bonds the characters create. This is a truly touching masterful picture, from a premise that has the most bizarre source that I don't know how anyone could have even come up with. That premise is quite something, since it seems that the idea of studying male behavior in a kitchen in the backwoods of Norway is either going to be a complete disaster or something extremely memorable. Luckily it is the latter of the two. Isak Bjornsson is a scientist out to study a ‘subject' named Folke who lives by himself and has literally no friends. Folke unwittingly is part of this experiment which involves Isak sitting in a giant chair overlooking his living space, as if he was the judge in a tennis match. Also Isak is supposed to follow certain rules set out by his employer. He is not to disturb Folke's living space, nor talk to him. If this isn't a unique bit of Scandinavian humor I don't know what is. If this film were to fall flat or even be just a short funny comedy, it would only fixate on the stupidity of this premise. Somehow a guy who sits in a log cabin miles away from civilization, who can put up with a stuffy repressed scientist whose main purpose is to write excruciating details of a man who literally spends his day doing nothing, is actually quite a funny situation for comedy. Kitchen Stories does not fail in that sense, but the ingeniousness is that Kitchen Stories is smarter than that.

The film suddenly takes the viewer to ask what the real purpose of these 2 men in the movie are and the focus provides and glaring and obvious point. They are essentially both alone in their lives for different reasons and they in a way need each other. But not of course in the sense of a dying love, but in a great sense of male camaraderie and caring that is essential to the idea of a great friendship

Gradually, the bond between scientist and subject breaks down, and both men start evolving a strange set of rules and create a friendship that comes off as the most genuine and heartwarming I've seen on screen since this year started.

As this relationship and some good subplots develop, the comedy takes another turn as Isak tries to hide from his boss ( a man who only ‘dreams' of what the future possibilities of kitchens may look like), that he has engaged his subject in what is obviously, ‘caring' humanity. The nerve!

I loved this film from the moment it started till its tender conclusion. It had only a short run in my area, and even after what must have been several months since I've seen it, I still think about it and a giant smile comes across my face.

It is touching, heartwarming, very funny, and just flat out great. It is the best film I have seen so far this year. If you ever get a chance to see it, go immediately. It shows the perfect beauty of the bond between us all as people, in the most kooky, unique bizarre way. And that in itself… is pure genius

Rating 10 out of 10