Alt for Egil (2004)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

Tore Rygh

Writers:

Tore Renberg (writer)
Tore Rygh (writer)

Release Date:

20 August 2004 (Norway)

Genre:

Musical

Plot:

A pizza delivery boy must balance the needs of his sick mother, his mentally retarded friend, and the comatose girl of his dreams.

Cast

Morten Abel	...	Pilot
Elin Furubotn	...	Kvinnlig læge
Gaute Garlid	...	Svein-Inge
Geir Greni	...	Vakt
Svein Harry Hauge	...	Lygre
Vegar Hoel	...	Hans Lima
Anders Hove	...	Plexa-Paul
Trond Høvik	...	Jan-Ove
Kristoffer Joner	...	Egil
Glenn Andre Kaada
Marko Iversen Kanic	...	Jarle (as Marko Kanic)
Stian Kristiansen	...	Sint Mann
Sally Nilsson	...	Jenny
Nina Ellen Ødegård	...	Anette
Even Stormoen	...	Anettes Far
Terje Torkildsen	...	Fabrikkleder
Kjersti Tveterås	...	Trude

Runtime:

Norway:90 min

Country:

Norway

Language:

Norwegian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Norway:11

Filming Locations:

Stavanger, Norway

Company:

Motlys

Kristoffer Joner in a Norwegian musical, should have done better......

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The lead character in this movie is Egil and is played by Kristoffer Joner, who in my opinion is one of the most gifted movie actors in Norway at present date. However in my opinion he failed to save this movie from the clutches of mediocre film-making.

**********Minor spoiler alert******************************************

Plot in itself could have worked, although it's a "bit" cliché.

I mean boy meets girl, boy and girl falls in love and the dim-witted sidekick make "jokes" sound familiar? Also the music scenes could have been done better and the story lose a lot of dialogue in intricate parts of the movie due to the songs. Thus making the story appear a little more messy and a little less smooth then it ought to be. I also found the lack of character background a little frustrating, Egil has a deep fascination for Morten Abel (norwegian artist, also from Stavanger) who makes a visual appearance in all the music scenes. Although the character only mentions his name once, I also think the relationship between Jan Ove and Egil is poorly established.

The casting and acting is OK, Egil played by Kristoffer Joner is supposed to be a kind hearted working class "hero" that deliver pizza's for a living. Which is a faith he also wants for his best friend Jan Ove played by Trond Høvik, the problem is that Jan Ove is retarded or is supposed to have down syndrome. I'm not actually sure which, but he do manage to deliver a few lines well enough to justify his part in the movie and making the audience snicker. Sally Nilson did her role of Egils mother in a highly average manner nothing special but not really bad neither. The same is true for Nina Ellen Ødegård playing Anette the girl Egil ends up falling in love.

Personally I think the idea was there and the time for another "Stavanger movie" after the success of Mongoland was right. But the movie lacks the dialogue, aesthetics, originality, planning and the directing needed to make a good movie. With this said I thought it was worth the money for the cinema ticket, just do not expect another Mongoland.

I would rate it 6-6.5...