Vincent” and Jack Nicholson in “About Schmidt,” Rolf Lassgård’s title character in “A Man Called Ove” is a curmudgeonly retiree whose lonely life takes an unexpected turn. It’s a time-honored template, but one that nevertheless still works magic with the right actor and carefully balanced tragicomic tone as demonstrated with this Swedish submission for best foreign-language Oscar consideration. Put out to pasture after working 43 years for the same firm, Lassgård’s testy Ove occupies his days policing his neighbors and visiting the grave of his recently departed wife. Incorporating fluid flashbacks and snippets of narration that refreshingly serve to enhance rather than distract, director-writer Hannes Holm maintains a gentle, lyrical flow while coaxing fine performances from a diverse cast. -------------‘A Man Called Ove’MPAA rating: PG-13, for thematic content, some disturbing images, and languageIn Swedish and Persian with English subtitlesRunning time: 1 hour, 56 minutesPlaying: Laemmle’s Royal, West L.A.See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour »

Source: Los Angeles Times September 29, 2016 01:41 UTC