Sebbe

Sebbe is a very sad, moving story of a teenage boy who is essentially alone and abandoned by everyone around him. His father is gone. His mother is emotionally unbalanced and behaves erratically. He is bullied and humiliated at school. And he's left to deal with it all on his own.

It's difficult to describe too much of what actually happens without spoiling the storyline. One example from the many depicted … his mother can't get him a birthday gift, but she finds a winter jacket in the laundry room and steals it. She presents it to Sebbe as a gift. He wears it to school where one of the other students, one who has been relentlessly bullying him, recognizes it as his own and accuses Sebbe of being a thief. His mother allows Sebbe to take the blame for what she did. He forgives her, tells her to forget about it and her response is to tell him she never wanted him and hates him. She kicks him out of the home and even that small, inadequate sense of refuge in his hostile environment is lost to him.

The acting is exceptionally good, especially by the young man playing Sebbe. Often there is minimal dialogue, but he projects his despair, hopelessness and the sense of total abandonment painfully well. It would be nice to think that such abuse and cruelty would not exist especially in a country like Sweden, which seems to be so protective and caring for its citizens … but unfortunately we all know that too many children suffer from such callous, truly inhuman behavior even in the so-called "advanced" countries.

A very sad, depressing story that was written, produced and acted extremely well.

I think it's a beautiful and realistic film about the pain of growing up and being the outcast in the school. Feeling ashamed of your family situation.

What was really good about it was that how the bullying and events in school happened felt real. I could relate to it strongly and recognize those events from my school years.

It was how it happens in Europe at least. If you compare the way the bullying is done in a normal Hollywood studio film, this felt more real.

The other real strength in this film is the acting. It is directed superbly and also the role of the mother is a very good one. Her character is strongly written.

Then we come to the weakness of the film, why I almost left the theater. The film doesn't have a drive and it doesn't variate. Basically it's the same scenes happening again and again. It was an 80 minute film, which could have been 70 minutes. Or at least some re-writing would have helped a bit.

But whit it's weakness, it was still a very good film.

I first watched this movie the year it came out, but it made such a strong impact on me that I had to re watch it and now feel that it really deserves a review!

This film uses rich and long scenes to convey to the viewer the struggles of 15-year old Sebbe and his complex mum. The amazing acting and script made me really identify with the main character, Sebbe. I felt his loneliness, I felt his anger against the people around him and I felt his very mixed feelings towards his mother! This is not a film without happy and beautiful moments though, and I feel that their impact is the more strong, because how wisely they are chosen.

All in all I strongly recommend this ultra realistic depiction of the life of young Sebastian!

When this story doesn't get people depressed I don't know any other one that could beat this one.

It appeals to a state of loneliness and not belonging that makes the end kinda hopefull. Why?! Taking charge for your own life and going your own way is in the end what it's all about in life. Doubtful?!

A very well crafted movie about a significant period in a young person's life.

Swedish drama doesn't seem to include stereotypes. Rather it portrays people, social environments, and relationships or interactions with luminous wisdom.

I found every scene, every frame, every nuance of acting and visual imagery engaging.