Jannike Kruse, Stellan Skarsgard in A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN, a film directed by Hans Petter Moland. Picture courtesy Strand Releasing. All rights reserved.
Also Starring:
Also:
- Bjorn Sundquist
- Jan Gunnar Roise
- Kjersti Holmen
- Julia Bache Wiig
- Henrik Mestad
- Jon Oigarden
- Anders Baasmo Christiansen
- Ane H. Rovik Wahlen
Screenwriter:
Producer:
Photography Director:
Art Director:
Editor:
Costume Designer:
- Caroline Saetre
Casting:
Set Decorator:
Graphic Designer:
- Eivind Stoud Platou
- Kaare Martens
- Synne Moen Toften
Production Company:
* Most external filmography links go to The Internet Movie Database.
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A Somewhat Gentle Man (2010/2011)
Opened: 01/14/2011 Limited
| Limited | 01/14/2011 | |
| IFC Center | 01/14/2011 - 01/20/2011 | 7 days |
| The Nuart | 01/28/2011 - 02/03/2011 | 7 days |
| Kendall Square... | 02/25/2011 - 03/03/2011 | 7 days |
| DVD | 05/03/2011 |
Trailer: Click for trailer
Genre: Norwegian Comedy (In Norwegian w/English subtitles)
Rated: Unrated
Short Synopsis
Ulrik (Stellan Skarsgard) is a somewhat gentle man, as far as gangsters go. Reluctantly back on the streets following a stint in prison, Ulrik's boss greets him with open arms and a plan to settle an old score. With a demented sense of professional pride, Ulrik's boss sets in motion a plan to right the wrong done to his star employee. The problem is Ulrik would rather go about his own business, however mundane, than get involved with his ragtag colleagues again. This dark feel good comedy delivers laughs and gasps in equal measure.
Long Synopsis
Ulrik is a somewhat gentle man. He has killed some people and crippled a few. It's all part of the job when you're a gangster. Just like doing time.
Now Urlik is out again. Reluctantly... And Jensen is waiting on the outside. He's a boss with professional pride. He takes care of his people and likes to have things in order. It is important for Jensen that Ulrik settles his account and kills the snitch that ratted him out.
Ulrik is a somewhat gentle man. He has no special wishes and makes no demands. He does not give too much thought to what he does either. He just does it. If he's given some food and a place to sleep, then he will give people what they want in return. Whether this be a little affection or a killing.
He looks up his son, who has now become a grown man. A good man with an education, a girlfriend, and a future. But the girlfriend does not appreciate a 'father-in-law' who is a murderer. Her family is not into stuff like that; they're more into nurseries and plants. They have principles.
Urlik is a somewhat gentle man -- but how gentle can he be?
Director's Statement
We are born. We grow up. We lose our innocence. We do some stupid things. And then we die. As we near the end we try to regain some dignity before it's too late. We seldom succeed. But we try. And look pathetic while trying. Is that embarrassing? Yes, but it's quite embarrassing to be a human being. In an age of computer exactness, human error is the only thing messing up the order of things.
A somewhat Gentle Man is a film about our painful shortcomings, a tribute to less than perfect sex, and a worldwide campaign against the people of petty exactness that rule the world.
About Hans Petter Moland
Hans Petter Moland has co-produced six children and lives with a fellow director. He was born in Oslo, Norway, and grew up on a family farm and in Oslo. Hans Petter has directed 6 feature films: The Last Lieutenant (1993), Zero Kelvin (1995), Aberdeen (2000), The Beautiful Country (2004), Comrade Pedersen (2006) and A Somewhat Gentle Man (2010) -- and he holds a BFA in Film from Emerson College (1978).
The Beautiful Country was in Berlin International Film Festival Competition in 2004. Hans Petter was an exchange student in Grosse Pointe, Michigan as a sixteen year old, and returned to the US to study film.
His first passion in life was ski jumping. After a serious accident he had to give it up, but he remains one of Norway's most avid ski jumping fans. Luckily the premiere of A Somewhat Gentle Man will not coincide with the Vancouver Olympic ski jumping competitions.
Producer's Statement
A Somewhat Gentle Man is a wonderful film that we are very proud to be producing. It is a continuum of the Paradox films, which combines a creative and/or substantial edge with a good cinema experience. We have produced a script from Kim Fupz Aakeson earlier, and we were looking forward to start with A Somewhat Gentle Man. We chose Hans Petter as director on this film because we were excited with the unfulfilled comedy potential in him, and believed that he could fulfill our dreams with A Somewhat Gentle Man. He has achieved this, and now we are beyond in love.
Paradox
Paradox was established in 1998 and produces features, documentaries and commercials with focus on young directors that want to make a difference. The company -- which complies of 6 companies bearing the name of Paradox -- has produced and co-produced 20 feature films; such as the Gold Palm winner Dancer in the Dark (co-production), the award winning HAWAII, OSLO and Troubled Water, the children's success Pitbull Terje and Twigson (participating this year in Berlin Generation), the winner of the Crystal Bear; Scars, the box-office success Fatso, among others.
Trailer
