Overview
A grumpy old man finds unexpected friendship in the most unlikely of circumstances.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- sardonic
- melancholic
- warm
- rainy day
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film sincere, well made, and emotionally affecting, with Rolf Lassgård's flinty lead performance anchoring its familiar but winning tragicomedy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ove's rigid behavior and social isolation are softened by his developing friendship with Parvaneh and her family.
Ove's grief and repeated suicidal impulses are juxtaposed with caustic humor and escalating neighborhood absurdity.
Flashbacks to Ove's younger life with Sonja illuminate the loss shaping his present-day bitterness.
Ove patrols the condominium neighborhood, enforces its rules, and is repeatedly drawn into the lives of nearby residents.
Films like A Man Called Ove, and why
St. Vincent
shared curmudgeonly protagonist, unexpected neighborhood friendship, bittersweet humor, and emotional redemption
Gran Torino
shared aging loner protagonist, abrasive exterior, grief, and gradual emotional reconnection
The Intouchables
shared warm tragicomedy, community relationships, reluctant companionship, and themes of loneliness
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
shared Swedish setting, gentle dark humor, eccentric characters, and healing through human connection
Movie Details
- Director
- Hannes Holm
- Release Date
- 2015-12-25
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (1372)
Cast
- Rolf Lassgård
- Bahar Pars
- Filip Berg
- Ida Engvoll
- Tobias Almborg
- Klas Wiljergård
- Chatarina Larsson
- Börje Lundberg
- Stefan Gödicke
- Johan Widerberg
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Brew, OVID, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Viaplay Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, MovieMe
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is A Man Called Ove about?
- A bitter widower's rigid neighborhood routine is transformed by an unexpected friendship with the family next door.
- What is A Man Called Ove like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Man Called Ove as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is A Man Called Ove violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in A Man Called Ove.
- What did critics think of A Man Called Ove?
- Critics broadly found the film sincere, well made, and emotionally affecting, with Rolf Lassgård's flinty lead performance anchoring its familiar but winning tragicomedy.
- Which films are like A Man Called Ove?
- Films with a similar feel include St. Vincent, Gran Torino, The Intouchables, and The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared.
- How long is A Man Called Ove?
- A Man Called Ove runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch A Man Called Ove?
- In United States, A Man Called Ove streams on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Brew, OVID, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Viaplay Amazon Channel.
