Overview
Two misfits find friendship and courage in a world that seems daunting and unwelcoming.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- gentle
- lazy sunday
- comfort viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Elling as a quirky, gentle, and warm comedy-drama with strong performances and emotional generosity.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Elling and Kjell Bjarne leave a state institution and struggle with the practical demands of supported independent living.
The two men rely on each other to face groceries, neighbors, romance, and other challenges outside institutional care.
Basic activities such as shopping and meeting people become comic tests of courage for the protagonists.
Elling's ambitions as a poet and his poetry reading provide a concrete route toward public confidence.
Films like Elling, and why
The Intouchables
gentle, eccentric comedy about friendship, social marginalization, and finding dignity in ordinary life
The Station Agent
warmly comic outsider protagonists navigating independence and unconventional relationships
Lars and the Real Girl
empathetic comedy-drama centered on socially awkward men building meaningful connections
Movie Details
- Director
- Petter Næss
- Release Date
- 2001-03-16
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (205)
Cast
- Per Christian Ellefsen
- Sven Nordin
- Marit Pia Jacobsen
- Jørgen Langhelle
- Per Christensen
- Hilde Olausson
- Ola Otnes
- Eli Anne Linnestad
- Cecilie A. Mosli
- Joachim Rafaelsen
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Viaplay Amazon Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Elling about?
- Two sheltered men transform supported living, social anxiety, and unlikely companionship into a tenderly comic bid for independence.
- What is Elling like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Elling as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Elling violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Elling.
- What did critics think of Elling?
- Critics broadly praised Elling as a quirky, gentle, and warm comedy-drama with strong performances and emotional generosity.
- Which films are like Elling?
- Films with a similar feel include The Intouchables, The Station Agent, and Lars and the Real Girl.
- How long is Elling?
- Elling runs 89 minutes.
- Where can I watch Elling?
- In United States, Elling streams on Viaplay Amazon Channel.
