The Man Who Loved Yngve “Mannen Som Elsket Yngve” (Stian Kristiansen, 2008): Norway

Reviewed by Anna Bewe. Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

The Man Who Loved  Yngve is the  best film I viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. It’s a heart warming romantic drama that is based on a book by Tore Renberg. The film was fun at the same time as it touched a serious subject – when love becomes difficult. The film has received 4 awards for the best film, editing, direction and best youth film at the Amanda Awards in Norway.

The man who loved Yngve takes place in Stavanger, Norway in the 80’s and is about a guy who gets confused about his own strong feelings for another boy. Jarle (Rolf Kristian Larsen), is the 17 year old boy, who feels attracted to the new boy in his class, Yngve (Ole Christoffer Ertvåg). At the same time he has his girlfriend that he is in love with – he can’t stop thinking about the new boy. The life in Stavanger, the uneventful nights outside the nightclub Checkpoint Charlie, the crush for his girlfriend Cathrine, and the coolest punk band “Mathias Rust Band” that he starts together with his best friend Helge – aren’t essential for Jarle since the day the new student Yngve begun in their class. After that, Jarle starts to let down everyone around him to be with Yngve, and he finds out how it feels to stand alone.

This film made me laugh and cry at the same time, I loved the script and the characters, which were great and original – they felt genuine. The film takes place in the 80’s and the music and the scenery fits the theme of the 80’s. What I also liked with this film was that the screenplay focuses on how Jarle’s secret crush affects his relationship to his girlfriend and his friends, instead of having a coming out scenario, which are common in movies about this theme.