- Critic Score
- Most active
- Publication
- Most clicked
-
90Heartwarming here relies less on forced air than on Petter Næss’ delicate, clever direction -- and a wonderful, imaginative script by Axel Hellstenius.
-
90A witty and sophisticated sensibility brings individuality to the classic odd-couple comedy.
-
90Beautifully observed, miraculously unsentimental comedy-drama.
-
88There is a little of all of us in their awkwardness, fears and neuroses, and we root for their success in the mundane as if they were ascending Everest. Elling is still in the running for 2002's most uplifting movie.
-
88A sweet but unsticky comedy from Norway that was one of the five foreign- language nominees at this year's Academy Awards.
-
83Charms because of its natural, non-magical attitude toward humanity.
-
80Elling believes so fervently in humanity that it feels almost anachronistic, and it is too cute by half. But arriving at a particularly dark moment in history, it offers flickering reminders of the ties that bind us.
-
80A darkly funny, very human comedy.
-
Bighearted audience pleaser.
-
75The humor comes from the contrast between Elling's prim value system, obviously reflecting his mother's, and Kjell's shambling, disorganized, good-natured assault on life. If Felix and Oscar had been Norwegian, they might have looked something like this.
-
75A gentle comedy, brimming with hope and faith in human resilience.
-
A charming 2001 Oscar nominee for best foreign-language film.
-
75Touches smartly and wistfully on a number of themes, not least the notion that the marginal members of society - the ones who get spit out on the sidewalk with no idea of how it happened - might benefit from a helping hand and a friendly kick in the pants.
-
75An enjoyable experience.
-
75This tale of kooky social misfits finding their place in the world is an audience pleaser, for all the reasons such tales usually are.
-
60Deftly manages to avoid many of the condescending stereotypes that so often plague films dealing with the mentally ill.
-
60The natural chemistry between Ellefsen and Nordin keeps the film pleasant and inoffensive, but is there any question about where or when or how it will go?
-
60Charming but slight comedy.
-
50It's a cuckoo's nest that's nicely feathered.
-
40If anything saves Elling, it is the trio of supporting performances that are closer to the real world.
-
40Elling is nothing if not carefully controlled hokum -- both actors, the director, and screenwriter all worked it through first as a stage adaptation of a novel by Ingvar Ambjornsen.
prev
next
Page:
- 1
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 4 out of 4
-
Mixed: 0 out of 4
-
Negative: 0 out of 4
-
CherylW.9It was really good. A little sexual and there was some bad language. Other then that it was great!
-
ArneL.10One of my my all time favourite movies! Saw it in the original version in Norway back in 2001. Great, great film!
-
TordS.10Great film! :-))