ELLING has been called a Norwegian version of THE ODD COUPLE. The title character is a recluse who goes crazy after the death of his mother. He's committed to a mental hospital where he rooms with Kjell, a large man with huge appetites (for food and sex) who can't seem to control his emotional outbursts. After a period of therapy, the two of them are allowed to leave, with one proviso. They have to live together (in a state-provided apartment) and help each other acclimate to society.
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This is easier said than done. Elling is an indecisive man who has trouble finding his way to a restaurant bathroom, and the oafish Kjell lunges after anyone in a skirt. Eventually, though, both men become more socialized, thanks to their interactions with a needy pregnant neighbor.
The review of this Movie prepared by Elana Starr