A Man Called Ove

Written and Directed by Hannes Holm; based on the novel by Fredrick Backman
Starring: Rolf Lassgard, Bahar Pars, Ida Engvoll

Ove is a Swedish curmudgeon with OCD. Only the occasional person will bother to find the softy underneath. When the story opens, his wife has died and he is attempting to join her. If this sounds grim, it is in spots. But the grimness gives way to humor or sentiment quickly. And yet it never lets the story run away with it.

A Man Called Ove is about as faithful to its source as any movie I’ve seen this year. It took the strengths of the book, cast it perfectly, and told the story efficiently and simply. I tried to see this film at the Traverse City Film Festival but it was sold out in a few hours. At my local art house, it wasn’t doing as much business. It’s certainly worth seeing (and reading) if it comes your way.

Patti Abbott