Elling

New Times (L.A.) Bill Gallo

Beautifully observed, miraculously unsentimental comedy-drama.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

A witty and sophisticated sensibility brings individuality to the classic odd-couple comedy.

LA Weekly Hazel-Dawn Dumpert

Heartwarming here relies less on forced air than on Petter Næss’ delicate, clever direction -- and a wonderful, imaginative script by Axel Hellstenius.

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

A sweet but unsticky comedy from Norway that was one of the five foreign- language nominees at this year's Academy Awards.

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

There 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.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

Charms because of its natural, non-magical attitude toward humanity.

Variety Gunnar Rehlin

A darkly funny, very human comedy.

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

Bighearted audience pleaser.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Elling 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.

New York Post Megan Lehmann

A gentle comedy, brimming with hope and faith in human resilience.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

Touches 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.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The 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.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

An enjoyable experience.

San Francisco Chronicle Carla Meyer

A charming 2001 Oscar nominee for best foreign-language film.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

This tale of kooky social misfits finding their place in the world is an audience pleaser, for all the reasons such tales usually are.

TV Guide Ken Fox

Deftly manages to avoid many of the condescending stereotypes that so often plague films dealing with the mentally ill.

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

Charming but slight comedy.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

The 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?

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

It's a cuckoo's nest that's nicely feathered.

Film Threat Phil Hall

If anything saves Elling, it is the trio of supporting performances that are closer to the real world.

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

Elling 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.