I watched the film during the Istanbul Film Festival (2-17 April 2005) between two low-tempered films both from Europe, and Uno just suited very well between those two slow ones. The first thing about "Uno" is its tempo. It starts in a smooth mode and goes on like this through the whole film. Even in the beginning, when the main characters were introduced, the movie starts to "move". Both the visual technique Hennie used and the elements of the story serve the the tempo of the film very well. The movie has waves in itself but it never breaks at any point. The second important thing i guess is the atmosphere of the movie. Every place in the movie was well-chosen and well-prepared. The houses, the room of David, the gym... The atmosphere created by Hennie was dark but hopeful. And i liked it. And Tom Mcrae's songs adds a lot to the movie. After all, nice movie even for non-Norwegians!! 8/10.
10 Reviews
Oslo underworld
Atavisten11 April 2005
This about gang criminality, loyalty to the gang and cowardliness was a very pleasant surprise. I find it to be a realistic picture of how these things operate with well developed characters, good script, realistic atmosphere with sometimes a very strong feeling of anxiety and the actors are all fit their role very good including the mother of David and Kjetil who I find very understanding of the situation and a strong mother. Best is Bjørn Floberg as Jarle though. He is quite scary actually.
Aksel Hennie put a lot of work into the script and you can tell. It moves very quickly with no dead points. The relations are thought out. Camera-work is good too, Oslo center-east is put forth as it feels, but not too easily is transmitted through pictures. Recommended together with 'Hawaii, Oslo' in which Hennie plays a similar role in the neighbourhood of this movie and 'Schpaaa' also about Oslo underworld and its affiliation with youths. Both are by Erik Poppe. Not meant to take away the spotlight from 'Uno' though.
Aksel Hennie put a lot of work into the script and you can tell. It moves very quickly with no dead points. The relations are thought out. Camera-work is good too, Oslo center-east is put forth as it feels, but not too easily is transmitted through pictures. Recommended together with 'Hawaii, Oslo' in which Hennie plays a similar role in the neighbourhood of this movie and 'Schpaaa' also about Oslo underworld and its affiliation with youths. Both are by Erik Poppe. Not meant to take away the spotlight from 'Uno' though.
Uno, great movie!
Arnehogstad24 February 2006
OK, this movie has received a lot of harsh comments, even though it is one of the best Norwegian films ever made.
Aksel Hennie has written the screenplay himself, he started several years before his dream of the film became realized. The movie is based on a good story, set in Downtown-Oslo. The characters are involved in the shady side of the society, and this gives the film a good plot.
As a first in Norwegian film history, a guy with Downs-syndrome plays Aksels brother, who has downs-syndrome. According to Aksel, this gave the character more credibility, and the guy does a really good job.
The screenplay, acting and music in this film is top notch, a film worth seeing!
Aksel Hennie has written the screenplay himself, he started several years before his dream of the film became realized. The movie is based on a good story, set in Downtown-Oslo. The characters are involved in the shady side of the society, and this gives the film a good plot.
As a first in Norwegian film history, a guy with Downs-syndrome plays Aksels brother, who has downs-syndrome. According to Aksel, this gave the character more credibility, and the guy does a really good job.
The screenplay, acting and music in this film is top notch, a film worth seeing!
Powerful movie
baks-113 September 2004
This film is not the one you should see if you want to have a cheerful evening. It is a very strong story from the reality in Oslo's gang/crime world. During the film i felt it in my guts. The depression, the anxiety and the fear the many characters must feel. the director Hennie has made a film that has a nerve during the hole film. A definitive must see film!.!
The cast also have a credibility you don't often see (espesially in norwegian movies).
For other nordic readers this film will remind you of the danish film "Pusher". Its much the same anxiety the characters feel when they have to deliver money the creepy gangsters. Again a MUST SEE FILM!
The cast also have a credibility you don't often see (espesially in norwegian movies).
For other nordic readers this film will remind you of the danish film "Pusher". Its much the same anxiety the characters feel when they have to deliver money the creepy gangsters. Again a MUST SEE FILM!
What it means to be alone in a cold cold world........UNO
JRomano93923 April 2006
I don't know where to start. This film is excellent on many levels. All of the characters are believable and the storyline is quite realistic. The acting is superb. The soundtrack is great. The camera work is excellent. The movie is packed with RAW emotion.
David represents anyone who is alone in this world, or at least feels alone. His life was in a rut. His father is dying, his mom is having a nervous breakdown, and his brother has down syndrome. Aside from that he has no real friends he can depend on. David is really alone mentally and physically. Even though the film is very downbeat and sad, I feel that the ending shows how a real man must face the world. We must face it by ourselves.
I truly enjoyed the film and I think anyone with an open mind will enjoy this emotional piece of art.
David represents anyone who is alone in this world, or at least feels alone. His life was in a rut. His father is dying, his mom is having a nervous breakdown, and his brother has down syndrome. Aside from that he has no real friends he can depend on. David is really alone mentally and physically. Even though the film is very downbeat and sad, I feel that the ending shows how a real man must face the world. We must face it by ourselves.
I truly enjoyed the film and I think anyone with an open mind will enjoy this emotional piece of art.
Uno is a Diez
gregorija12 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
What a great film! It was brilliantly acted and directed and kept my attention and interest throughout. Hats off to Espen Juul Kristiansen's performance as David's brother, Kjetil. The scenes with him and the dog are very powerful and touching. It's a great story...basically about loyalties (similiar to the way that "Reservoir Dogs" was about loyalties) and what happens when you have to choose a side. This is the first film I've seen by Aksel Hennie and I look forward to many more. Why does David smile in the last shot of the film (when it appears that he has nothing to smile about)? Closure. This shot speaks volumes about the character, David and Hennie as a filmmaker. Some directors may have added a scene in which he was talking to his mother about how happy he is that's it's all over and "I'll do better by you and Kjetil from now on." etc. Not necessary, Mr. Hennie. We get it.
Worst Norwegian movie EVER!
fyrsten-322 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This is a complete crap movie packed with disturbing violence, poor dialog and dull music.
****** SPOILER ALERT ****** The movie starts out as a poor C action movie with lots of violence and some wrongs who needs to be righted. And so it runs for 1 hour and 50 minutes and the viewer thinks that the "hero" is gonna settle things and get justice. Instead he gets mashed up by a Pakistan gang together with the biggest prick in the movie and so all the bad guys wins, and the hero is left laying in a pile of blood, blinking his eyes twice before it fades to black. Woah, way to go...NOT! I believe that the filmmaker and star Aksel Henie intended for us to cry and weep after watching this movie, but it simply does NOT work at all. Building up a lot of anticipation of justice for the hero, and then let him get mashed up and probably killed, is not good.
It's like putting together a movie who starts out like Sylvester Stallones Rambo and then just before the end, insert Milos Forman's "Valmont" or "Amadeus" with the sad ending, and expect people to think that the movie was brilliant and make the audience cry and weep. It doesn't work that way. If one wants to make a brilliant sad movie, then the movie needs more to it, then just a hero, some bad guys and lots of violence and injustice.
This poor made action-movie could have worked if the hero succeeded in getting justice for him and his family.
****** End of spoiler ****** If you are looking for a good Norwegian movie, then steer away from this one because it sucks so badly!!!
****** SPOILER ALERT ****** The movie starts out as a poor C action movie with lots of violence and some wrongs who needs to be righted. And so it runs for 1 hour and 50 minutes and the viewer thinks that the "hero" is gonna settle things and get justice. Instead he gets mashed up by a Pakistan gang together with the biggest prick in the movie and so all the bad guys wins, and the hero is left laying in a pile of blood, blinking his eyes twice before it fades to black. Woah, way to go...NOT! I believe that the filmmaker and star Aksel Henie intended for us to cry and weep after watching this movie, but it simply does NOT work at all. Building up a lot of anticipation of justice for the hero, and then let him get mashed up and probably killed, is not good.
It's like putting together a movie who starts out like Sylvester Stallones Rambo and then just before the end, insert Milos Forman's "Valmont" or "Amadeus" with the sad ending, and expect people to think that the movie was brilliant and make the audience cry and weep. It doesn't work that way. If one wants to make a brilliant sad movie, then the movie needs more to it, then just a hero, some bad guys and lots of violence and injustice.
This poor made action-movie could have worked if the hero succeeded in getting justice for him and his family.
****** End of spoiler ****** If you are looking for a good Norwegian movie, then steer away from this one because it sucks so badly!!!
One of the most memorable of Norwegian movies
anth_on_ny11 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This movie hits you right in the guts, atleast it did for me. i would put it in the same category as the Danish Pusher trilogy, Schpaa and maybe Izzat.
a masterful portrayal of youthful mishaps and parts of the criminal life in Oslo. Very relatable main characters. a dark movie with several tempo changes and it shows you how a human behaves when driven into a corner by his own fault. Well worth seeing, you will not regret it. i always come back to this movie from time to time to rewatch it.
the plot revolves around the main character and his troubles with his familiy and friends, or rather lack of friends at the end. He is a young man troubled by his bedridden father and being the man in the house as he is on the verge of taking the final steps out of an overdue adolescence into real life. He wants to sever his ties to the criminal underworld and is torn between his responsibility to his familiy and friends. He makes judgement calls as he sees fit hoping to get the best possibly outcome only running into one ultimatum after one other. He tries to protect everyone he loves, but ends up getting into more trouble. Inevitably it all crumbles down to one final single split-second decision where he has played out his whole hand and all that is left is to take what is coming heads on.
a masterful portrayal of youthful mishaps and parts of the criminal life in Oslo. Very relatable main characters. a dark movie with several tempo changes and it shows you how a human behaves when driven into a corner by his own fault. Well worth seeing, you will not regret it. i always come back to this movie from time to time to rewatch it.
the plot revolves around the main character and his troubles with his familiy and friends, or rather lack of friends at the end. He is a young man troubled by his bedridden father and being the man in the house as he is on the verge of taking the final steps out of an overdue adolescence into real life. He wants to sever his ties to the criminal underworld and is torn between his responsibility to his familiy and friends. He makes judgement calls as he sees fit hoping to get the best possibly outcome only running into one ultimatum after one other. He tries to protect everyone he loves, but ends up getting into more trouble. Inevitably it all crumbles down to one final single split-second decision where he has played out his whole hand and all that is left is to take what is coming heads on.
Yes, this movie is great
jonnings1 November 2005
I noticed a comment here, saying that Norway is such a peaceful country, and that this movie is unrealistic, wannabe etc.
The environment that sets the basis for this movie is not apparent for "regular" citizens of Oslo, neither is it apparent for everyday people.
This movie is great, and we all know that this movie is realistic, whether you want to or not. Some of the actors are great, Bjørn Floberg in particular. He is among the finest actors in Norway, and i wish he starred in more films like this. This is not a feel-good film at all, and it will probably leave you with a few questions, but it is definitely worth seeing.
Two thumbs up for Uno
The environment that sets the basis for this movie is not apparent for "regular" citizens of Oslo, neither is it apparent for everyday people.
This movie is great, and we all know that this movie is realistic, whether you want to or not. Some of the actors are great, Bjørn Floberg in particular. He is among the finest actors in Norway, and i wish he starred in more films like this. This is not a feel-good film at all, and it will probably leave you with a few questions, but it is definitely worth seeing.
Two thumbs up for Uno
Fantastic music and grim realism
spamconsult12 July 2006
A memorable film, mostly because of the grim reality-feel in the movie. You can tell that some of the story is bigraphical from the director.
Situated in Oslo, it does a good job portraing the city. Most of it's outdoor scenes are filmed in a green-greyish color, which resembles the harsh nature of the aspahlt-story.
Also a very good contributor to the good grades is the music; Tom Mcrae's work is amazingly perfect to the film and a crucial part of making this movie memorable, and thus; a film worth owning.
The director (who is the guy who plays the main character), started writing on the script in 1996, but it didn't surface as a movie almost ten years later. It has been worth the wait, and a promising start for a young director; please make more films, Axel Henie.
Situated in Oslo, it does a good job portraing the city. Most of it's outdoor scenes are filmed in a green-greyish color, which resembles the harsh nature of the aspahlt-story.
Also a very good contributor to the good grades is the music; Tom Mcrae's work is amazingly perfect to the film and a crucial part of making this movie memorable, and thus; a film worth owning.
The director (who is the guy who plays the main character), started writing on the script in 1996, but it didn't surface as a movie almost ten years later. It has been worth the wait, and a promising start for a young director; please make more films, Axel Henie.
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