A Somewhat Gentle Man

Patiently directed by Hans Petter Moland, A Somewhat Gentle Man is a quietly thoughtful film that revolves around Ulrik (Stellan Skarsgård), who, freshly minted from a 12-year prison stint, wanders into an obstacle course of second chances at life and love. Ulrik, who yearns for the affection of the son he abandoned, is a man of few words and fewer emotions, and Skarsgård delivers a performance of astonishing strength and humanity; his slumped shoulders and graying ponytail reflect the dull weariness of the wintry Norwegian setting, and convey the existential burden of a man afraid to say what he wants for fear it'll be taken away. Much of the movie's comedy is as dry as the overcooked burger Ulrik chews while having a quickie with his ex-wife in a restaurant kitchen and subtle enough to realistically mirror the everyday absurdity inherent in being alive. In a grotesquely hilarious subplot, Ulrik's bitter landlady (a courageous Jorunn Kjellsby) engages him in a mechanical love affair that borders on humiliation and ends with devastating consequences. A Somewhat Gentle Man doesn't conclude so much as it just stops, with Skarsgård's small, but gentle, man utterly transformed by the redemptive minutiae of ordinary life.