City couple meets country couple in this shrewd and frank Scandinavian sex comedy. Grand Jury Prize, Sundance 2011.
A winning comedy that gets good-natured fun out of characters behaving quite badly.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2011
Happy, Happy 2010
Sykt lykkelig
There’s a well-honed eye for marital malaise in this Norwegian sex comedy that’s reminiscent of Mike Leigh – and a matter-of-fact attention to details of sexual shenanigans that’s much more... well, Scandinavian. Schoolteacher Kaja lives happily enough in a remote town with her husband Eirik and their son. Eirik’s sour temper becomes much more obvious to the habitually chipper Kaja when affable Sigve, his lawyer wife Elisabeth and their adopted Ethiopian son move from the city and rent the (only) house next door. While the boys play games of unspeakable political incorrectness, their oblivious parents play more consequential grown-up games: truth or dare, for example, and hide and seek. While clearly barracking for Kaja, first-time director Anne Sewitsky views all six misbehaving charges with understanding – and treats us to some glorious a cappella singing along the way. — BG