🇸🇪 Vuxna människor ~ Adult Behaviour 🇸🇪
Vuxna människor (1999) aka Adult Behaviour is a Swedish comedy film on Netflix U.K. 1hr 36min 15 Cert. Subtitles. I have used the Swedish title as this is how you can find it on Netflix.
Cast:
Felix Herngren as Frank Philgren
Karin Bjurström as Nenne Philgren
Cecilia Ljung as Rosie
Mikael Persbrandt as Georg
Källa Bie as Sofia
Fredrik Lindström as Markus
Alvin Nyström as Robin
Magnus Härenstam as Frank’s Boss
Annakarin Johansson as Babysitter
Ann-Sofie Rase as Therapist No.1
Crew:
Director: Felix Herngren & Fredrik Lindström
Cinematographer: Göran Hallberg
Writer: Fredrik Lindström
Music: Matti Bye
Premise:
“Frank leads a respectable yuppie life working at a noted Stockholm law firm. He has also been married for eight years to his beautiful wife Nenne, who runs an upscale boutique. Yet Frank is deeply bored with his life and is supremely randy. He even fantasizes about the marriage counsellor that he and Nenne visit weekly. Eventually, Frank shacks up with a young fetching art student named Sofia, though the experience wracks Frank with guilt. Meanwhile, Nenne’s friend and co-worker Rosie suspects that Frank is having an affair, though she does not have the nerve to tell her. Little does Rosie suspect, however, that her friend is sleeping with her lover Georg, an uptight journalist with an ego the size of Finland. Soon wires get crossed, and all hell breaks loose.” IMDb
Notes:
Matti Bye the composer is also known for his work on shows such as The Simple Heist (aka A Very Scandi Scandal), Young Wallander, Tove etc.
The cinematographer Göran Hallberg is known for The Restaurant, Bonus Family, Ted, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared, A Man Called Ove etc.
Review:
This movie made me laugh, a lot. It is full of hilarious social situations (some of them real, others imaginary). There are incidents and accidents that are truly cringeworthy (fully intended).
Well-scripted throughout with a clever use of a voice-over for Frank’s often uncontrolled thoughts and fantasies. These combined with his “daydreams” are often hilarious, occasionally raunchy and sometimes excruciating.
The actors are all excellent from the lead to the supporting cast. Felix Herngren plays Frank to perfection (did writing this help him? Probably) and Mikael Persbrandt is glorious as the urge-driven, compulsive liar Georg. Nenne has dual standards which you could drive a bus through. Rosie is the only character who seems to have self-control and yet even she is happy to settle for the frankly appalling Georg. The most observant and “the only adult in the room” comes from a small child!
Characters are well-drawn and not stereotypical and it is their dynamics and often poor choices that lead to much hilarity but also a realisation of well… reality. Frank chases excitement and tries to realise what is, in essence, a fantasy with almost disastrous effects.
The cinematography in this is crisp and evokes the sense of Frank’s inner self. The music and soundtrack are excellent.
Vuxna människor is a comedy of sexual errors. There is farce which had me saying: “Oh no!” And burying my head in my hands. It is raunchy, quite sweary and explicit at times. Recommended to watch if you want something not too dark, very funny and yet not without aspects to make you think.
Awards:
2 nominations for Guldbagge Awards (2000) Best Supporting Actress Källe Bie and Best Screenplay Fredrik Lindström
Trailer (in Swedish, no subtitles):
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