Mors Elling (2003)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Eva Isaksen

Writers:

Ingvar Ambjørnsen (book)
Axel Hellstenius (writer)

Release Date:

10 October 2003 (Norway)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Airport | Sequel | Mother Son Relationship | Pickpocket

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Per Christian Ellefsen	...	Elling
Grete Nordrå	...	Mor
Helge Reiss	...	Bugge-Høvik
Christin Borge	...	Mag
Per Schaaning	...	Georg
Lena Meieran	...	Grete Iversen
Ane Dahl Torp	...	Flyvertinne
Erlend Bakker	...	Sikkerhetsvakt
Torbjørn Paulsen	...	Elling som Liten
Henriette Steenstrup	...	Ung Mor
Liv Johannson	...	Fru Asbjørnsen
Egil Grasmo	...	Hr. Asbjørnsen
Gabriel Martin	...	Jesus Maria
Frank Capdet	...	Juan
Àngels Aymar	...	Hore 1

Also Known As:

Mother's Elling (International: English title)
Elling - Nicht ohne meine Mutter (Germany) [de]
Jamais sans ma mère (France) [fr]

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

Norway

Language:

Norwegian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:R21 | Iceland:L | Norway:7 | Sweden:Btl | Germany:6

Company:

Maipo Film- og TV Produksjon

Movie Connections:

Follows Elling (2001)

A bit heavy on the dark side but still a welcomed return of "Elling"

As sequels (or prequels in this case) go, "Mors Elling" is a good movie.

Everyone who's seen the successful movie "Elling" (2000) probably remembers that Elling was a bit... attached to his late mother (to put it mildly). "Mors Elling" is based on one of author Ingvar Ambjørnsen's books written before "Brødre i blodet" (the basis for "Elling"). It tells the story of Elling, living with his mom in downtown Oslo. She knows she won't be around for ever and in an effort to get him out in the world, and help him stand on his own two feet, she buys tickets for them both for a trip to sunny Spain!

What follows is a series of mishaps as we tag along with Elling through situations he's never been in before. Riding on an airplane, on the beach surrounded with topless women, the Spanish nightlife, befriending the Norwegian woman in the neighbouring hotel-room, etc. It is at times funny but never as light-hearted as the original movie. Here there is more emphasis on the seriousness of Elling's condition, and we rarely find ourselves laughing like we did with the first movie. More melancholy, and thus less of the warm-hearted air that made the first "Elling" so special.

But don't get me wrong, it's still a good little movie. Director Eva Isaksen is always great with actors, and the acting is as expected good, the story is entertaining, and it is surprisingly short. Around 75 minutes (!) and when it is all over I felt myself REALLY wanting to see the Elling-character again, now that I knew that much more about him.