Comedy drama

Elling (2002): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Name: Elling
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: 2002-05-29
Duration: 1 h 29 min
Cast: Sven Nordin, Per Christian Ellefsen

Elling is a 2002 comedy drama directed by Petter Næss, starring Sven Nordin and Per Christian Ellefsen. It is based on Beyond the Great Indoors by Ingvar Ambjørnsen and Don Bartlett. It runs 1 hour 29 minutes and earned $2 million worldwide. It was nominated for 1 Oscar. Critics gave it 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 70 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
worldwide gross: $2M
award nomination: 1
Metascore: 70

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Released: May 29, 2002
Runtime: 1h 29m (89 min)
Director: Petter Næss
Genres: Drama , Comedy
Original language: Norwegian
Studio: First Look International
Based on: Beyond the Great Indoors by Ingvar Ambjørnsen and Don Bartlett
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Elling About?

The premise of Elling without spoilers, adapted from Beyond the Great Indoors by Ingvar Ambjørnsen and Don Bartlett. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Following his mother's death, the timid Elling is forced to leave the only home he's ever known and venture into the world. He finds an unlikely companion in Kjell, a charismatic but equally vulnerable man. Together, they experience the challenges and joys of independence, navigating the bustling city of Oslo and learning to embrace life outside of their sheltered past. Their unique bond helps them discover a sense of belonging and the possibility of a brighter future.

Elling Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

male virgin
christmas eve
character name as title
one word title
gentle giant
friendship
virgin
vomiting
mental illness
sex obsession
based on novel
sauerkraut

+38 more

watching tv
reference to nirvana
cia central intelligence agency
shy man
adult male virgin
adult virgin
poet
motorcycle
toolbox
loss of virginity
writing
widower
watching a movie
waitress
virginity
urination
urinal
tropical island
train
traffic stop
toilet
telephone call
sunglasses
storytelling
stepfather stepson relationship
statue
spiritual guide
spaniard
south pole
soup kitchen
social democrat
shyness
salvation army
roadblock
restaurant
reincarnation
rapist
rain

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Cast & crew

Elling Cast

Sven Nordin leads the cast, with Per Christian Ellefsen. Directed by Petter Næss.

Director Petter Næss

From the director

More from Petter Næss

More films directed by Petter Næss: Into the White, Shameless, Gone with the Woman and Leaps and Bounds.

Full filmography

Ratings

Elling Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Elling 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 70 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes

85% Tomatometer

Popcornmeter 91%
See on Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic

70 Metascore

User score 5.4
See on Metacritic
TMDB

71% User score
See on TMDB

Plot

Elling Plot Summary

What happens in Elling from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In this heartwarming tale, the central figure, Elling, a man in his 40s grappling with generalized anxiety, faces the daunting challenge of adapting to life in society. His struggles with anxiety, dizziness, and neurotic tendencies have kept him from living independently for years. Following the death of his mother, which leaves a significant void, the authorities relocate him from his lifelong home to an institution.

There, he meets his roommate, the naïve and sex-obsessed Kjell Bjarne. Their contrasting personalities lead to a unique friendship as the Norwegian government facilitates their transition to a shared apartment in Oslo. However, each day presents obstacles, and they must demonstrate their ability to engage with the world and live relatively normal lives.

Full summary

The whole story of Elling, scene by scene

Read the full summary