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Released By: Strand Releasing
Released On: 05/03/2011
Director: Hans Petter Moland
Cast: Stellan Skarsgard, Bjorn Floberg, Gard B. Eidsvold
The Film:
A hit at film festivals the world over, Hans Petter Moland's film A Somewhat Gentle Man makes its way to DVD from Strand Releasing. Billed as a light-hearted dark comedy, the film follows Ulrik (Stellan Skarsgard) upon his release from prison after twelve years, for murdering a man he caught sleeping with his wife.
Meeting his old boss Jensen and his sidekick Rolf at a neighbourhood bar, he hears that the man who testified against him has been found, and it's time for Ulrik to “settle the accountâ€. The problem is, twelve years in prison has mellowed Ulrik out a fair bit. Adding to that, he has a grown son who is now engaged with a child on the way, a new job as a mechanic, and his curious-looking landlord Karen is very into the idea of exchanging sexual favours for cooked meals. With so many distractions, Ulrik has little interest in returning to his criminal past, but Jensen is not the type to take no for an answer.
Further complications arise when Ulrik's ex-wife enters the picture, and if that's not enough, his cute co-worker (who happens to be a victim of domestic violence) is also interested in him. It's only a matter of time before Jensen forces the issue of his past though, and people will die no matter what Ulrik's response.
With so much chaos and Skarsgard's deadpan character taking the lead, A Somewhat Gentle Man HAD to have a good deal of comedy, and it certainly does. The flaw with the film is that there's not quite enough of it to fill the running time. This doesn't make it a bad movie by any stretch. Ulrik is very likable despite being a convicted murderer, the performances are solid all around, and Moland's direction is perfect for the film; almost acting as an extension of Ulrik's mood. It's a perfectly watchable film, but not one that has a lot of replay value, or that will blow you away with memorable moments. That being said, this brief glimpse into Ulrik's life is an enjoyable adventure, and one worth taking.
Video/Audio/Extras:
A Somewhat Gentle Man comes to DVD in an anamorphic ratio of 1.85:1, and it looks great. It's a somewhat sombre-looking film, and the dull, dark scenes are plenty clear with no noise or artifacts. The Dolby Digital 2.0 track is more than sufficient, being that the soundtrack consists primarily of dialogue; which is always clear and coherent with no issues.
The DVD comes with a theatrical trailer, and 4 trailers for other Strand Releases.
Overall:
A Somewhat Gentle Man gets a respectable looking release from a respectable company.
