Review of O'Horten (2007) by Mark A — 17 Jul 2010
Off-beat tale that moves very slowly. Odd Horten (Baard Owe) is forced into retirement from his long-time job as a passenger train engineer and finds a host of small adventures to fill his days and nights.
He seems to operate without any clear sense of what he wants to do with the rest of his life, but reacts to each improbable situation as it confronts him. There are many scenes that defy explanation and are almost surreal.
In the end, it seems to say that the journey is more important than the destination and that sometimes there simply is no destination. And that is alright, too. Quirky characters, a loose script that seems at times to have no clear sense of direction, and the frigid, stark scenery of winter in Norway combine to give the film an almost dream-like quality at times.
Each item taken by itself would doom most films but work together here to create a tapestry, revealing a man seeking to break out of the strict routine of his former life.
This review of O'Horten (2007) was written by Mark A on 17 Jul 2010.
O'Horten has generally received positive reviews.
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