Elling tells us a story about two ’’misfits’’ - Elling and Kjell Bjarne. Elling and Kjell Bjarne who are a tad eccentric are realeased from an ’’institution’’ out into the ’’real world’’, and there is a social worker who takes care of them and records their progress in coping with the ’’real world’’.
Elling is just plain uncomfortable with making new acquaintances, he is found confused and bereft by the authorities after his mother dies, and makes a lone friend in Kjell Bjarne at the institution. We see Elling try hard to learn to answer a phone and make a ’’big leap’’ when he gets out of the house to buy groceries. Things complicate as Kjell Bjarne finds a possible love interest and leaves Elling alone. ALONE.
He rebels against his loneliness, and suddenly decides to go to a poetry reading where he meets an old man, who he is able to look upon as a friend. He has made a friend all by himself! The movie has a very subtle humour and a finer masterclass of acting, most from Per Christian Ellefsen.
This is a quiet movie, but not a slow one. It is done at a leisurely pace and you should watch it in a relaxed mood reclining in your favourite part of the couch with elaichi tea or mint-choc chips :)
’’Elling, you’ve committed poetry!’’