Based on Fredrik Backman’s novel, A Man Called Ove is an Oscar-nominated Swedish film starring Rolf Lassgard as an elderly curmudgeon at odds with his work, his neighbors, and the world as a whole. He is determined to join his late wife in death, if only he could find the time. Not surprisingly, underneath Ove’s rough exterior lies a tragic past (shown to us in flashbacks throughout the film) that is well-presented by director Hannes Holm and does not feel heavy-handed. While the overall formula is similar to recent films such as St. Vincent, A Man Called Ove enables us to connect to the story and the characters in a way that feels authentic.
