Review of Hawaii, Oslo (2004) by Ola G — 27 Jul 2016

Hawaii, Oslo is the story of a handful of people who cross each other's path without necessarily knowing each other, during the hottest day of the year, in Oslo. We follow Frode (Stig Henrik Hoff) and Milla (Silje Torp Færavaag). They are having their first child, who they are told will not live long. We follow Bobbie-Pop (Petronella Barker), a faded singer who tries to commit suicide. We follow Leon (Jan Gunnar Røise), an institutionalized kleptomaniac who is looking for Åsa (Evy Kasseth Røsten), to whom he has a ten year old deal to get married. We meet Leon's brother, Trygve (Aksel Hennie), who fetches Leon at the institution to celebrate his birthday, but who himself has plans to use his leave from prison to run away. And most of all we meet the angel Vidar (Trond Espen Seim), Leon's best buddy at the institution, who sees things no one else can see, and who may be able to save everyone - except himself...

The plot in "Hawaii, Olso" explores the idea of redemptive nature based on compassion and love. We get a kaleidoscope of individuals, set into motion in both the world of dreams and reality and when they mix no one knows what is real and what is not. Despite the darkness displayed there´s hope and positive notions in the end. Erik Poppe doesn´t resolve each characters fate, but when Vidar the guardian angel sacrifices himself to save Leon he also creates hope for the others. The attempt to create a Norwegian version of "Short Stories" is ok, but yet it suffers from an amateurish vibe/set up and to be honest the acting is not always on the spot during the running time. I do like the critique of things that doesn´t seem to work properly in our societies like mental institutions etc. "Hawaii, Oslo" is a reminder that our humanity is not simply who we are, but the sum of how we interact with each other and what we do for each other. Every individual needs compassion and love to be whole.