By Ian Kane
PG-13 | 1h 56m | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 2016
There’s usually always one—that one neighbor who monitors trash bins like a military operation, memorizes every parking violation on the block, and somehow believes your dog’s bark is a direct attack on social order. Enter Ove (Rolf Lassgard). Set in Sweden, Ove is 59 years old and determined to personally audit the universe for any signs of disorder or mild cheerfulness.
The Grump Next Door
Ove is not exactly what you’d call approachable, unless your idea of small talk involves being scolded for improperly borrowing a ladder. Despite his advanced curmudgeonry and a collection of grudges organized like fine china, life refuses to let him sulk in peace.
His days of brooding, sulking, and tightly scheduled despair are suddenly disrupted by a new neighbor, Parvaneh (Bahar Pars). Parvaneh, an Iranian immigrant, crashes her car into Ove’s mailbox within minutes of arrival. Rather than apologize and retreat, she pushes into his world with unflinching kindness and patience.
Ove (Rolf Lassgard) and Parvaneh (Bahar Pars), in “A Man Called Ove.” GJW+
Their early interactions are some of the film’s most memorable: Ove barking in Swedish and Parvaneh, who’s pregnant, loud, and endlessly direct, replying in Farsi-laced resolve. Her husband Patrick (Tobias Almborg), well-meaning but hopelessly clumsy, tries to help but mostly complicates things.
Before Ove can escape back into his despair, he finds himself begrudgingly helping with childcare, house repairs, and driving lessons. He asked for none of these tasks, but they all chip away at his icy armor.
Unexpected Warmth
At first glance, “A Man Called Ove” seems like familiar territory: A bitter old man resists the world’s attempts to soften him. But what sets this Swedish gem apart isn’t just its warm, measured storytelling. It’s the way it slowly reveals the layers behind that bitterness, turning a cliché into something more human.
Lassgard doesn’t play him for laughs. Ove’s sternness feels carved from grief. A recent widower, he’s closed himself off since the death of his wife, Sonja (Ida Engvoll), a woman whose presence brought color and joy into his rule-bound world.
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What makes these scenes work so well is the honesty. The humor never feels forced, and Hannes Holm’s direction gives just enough space to let moments speak for themselves. Ove’s past is revealed in numerous flashbacks: his lonely childhood, his father’s influence, and the day he met Sonja.
Ove (Rolf Lassgard) at Sonja's grave, in “A Man Called Ove.” GJW+
By the time the film has worked its magic (and it does), you’ll find yourself half-smiling through misty eyes, even if a little voice in your head whispers, “Okay, that was a bit much.”
A Bit Overly Saccharine
Lassgard’s performance as the walking scowl known as Ove makes the entire film tick. He plays him like a man wound too tightly by decades of disappointment, only to be slowly unraveled by a string of domestic inconveniences, most of which arrive courtesy of Bahar Pars’s character, Parvaneh.
Parvaneh (Bahar Pars) and Ove (Rolf Lassgard), in one of the numerous tear-jerking scenes, in “A Man Called Ove.” GJW+
There’s something charmingly chaotic about how Parvaneh gets under his skin, then into his kitchen, and ultimately into his heart. The two actors strike up a rhythm that’s as odd as it is endearing. She’s all sunshine and sass, and he’s barely tolerates the existence of anyone around him.
This tale isn’t without its faults. Sometimes, it leans a little too hard on the melodrama gas pedal, as if it’s worried we won’t care enough unless it keeps reminding us to cry. It turns out we do care, but maybe not as much as the soundtrack thinks we should.
Still, the comedy sneaks in where least expected, especially during Ove’s many interrupted attempts at a tidy, well-planned exit from this world. Each botched suicide becomes less grim and more slapstick, all without betraying the real grief underneath. It’s a fine tonal balancing act, and remarkably, it works more often than not.
Toward the end, the film gets a little carried away with wrapping things up in a neat emotional bow: a new baby, a surprise illness, a funeral, and an uplifting letter. Every possible emotional note is played in quick succession. It’s almost as if the movie wants to make absolutely sure the moviegoer leaves with a heart full and tear ducts lightly rinsed. And honestly? Moviegoers probably will.
“A Man Called Ove” doesn’t reinvent the genre. However, it’s sincere, often funny, and occasionally disarmingly sweet. Overly sentimental? Absolutely. But sometimes, when we’re in the mood for it, that’s okay.
“A Man Called Ove” is available on GJW+.
‘A Man Called Ove’ Director: Hannes Holm Starring: Rolf Lassgard, Bahar Pars, Filip Berg MPAA Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 1 hour, 56 minutes Release Date: Sept. 30, 2016 Rated: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
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