Detektor

The main character and his friend like to find things with metal detectors (hence the title). One day they find a locket with an inscription. His friend talks about this on the radio, and the owner shows up to claim it. She and the main character fall in love, but then things get strange. To avoid giving too much away, I'll stop there.

I thought the acting was very good, the camera angles interesting, and the story engaging. I simply enjoyed this film more than any other I saw at Cinequest (the San Jose, CA film festival). I saw it on 2/24/2002.

The film is in itself an interesting phenomena. The media and the public (in Norway) has been screaming on about how the Norwegian film industry needs a change, and a long comes a film that definitely stands for something new and is thus widely accepted and celebrated, even though the story has obvious faults (but people seemed to get a kick out of it, simply because it was something different).

The film revolves around the 28 years-old psychiatrist, Daniel Jor, who lives with his dominant mother, and spends an alarming amount of time searching for lost things with a metal detector (which reflects on the theme of the film: the things that are hidden in your own and others lives), accompanied by his faithful sidekick, Ronny.

The problem of the film is that it doesn't really have much to say. It has all these loose threads hanging in the air, which is then loosely tied together at the end, but it doesn't really mean much. The character of Ronny is a fitting example. He's obviously just there to provide a comical relief. He doesn't really serve any deeper function. I'm one of those people who like it when a film gives me something to ponder about (after it has ended). Detektor does no such thing. You see it. You laugh a little. But that is really all there is.

Best Norwegian movie ever!!! I can watch it over and over again!!

It's dogs barried every were... What's the secret his over protective-mum is hiding from him... It's Daniels father alive or not??? His been told all is live that he died in China, but is this true?? Daniel is a pshycologhist... one day a man who is sick of cancer came to visit him...

I must be the only non-Scandinavian to have written a comment about this movie, which I caught at the Montreal International Film Festival. Reading the synopsis in the programme made me think it'd be some kind of drama with a light touch of humour, but it turned out to be the reverse! A comedy with some drama. Actually, a movie which manages to mix in some violence, comedy, a twist plot, police mystery, a bit of sex and a love story over all that! The last one which I saw which succeeded in doing that was von Trier's "The Kingdom".

True, this movie will not change your life and make you ponder for hours over it, but for me it was certainly a great change and relief from the overload of typical North American/Hollywood stuff (to be polite) that we get here. I can't stand "American Pie" anymore. Or "Ally McBeal". Etc...

It was also very refreshing to see some other kind of humour (too bad I don't speak Norwegian for I'm sure I missed some major subtleties), another language, and new faces of actors/actresses. I think Mads Ousdal did a great job of playing Daniel, the quiet/sweet psychologist, and loved Ronny and his Radio-Illegal program! Also liked the satanist, Jorgen... :)

A movie to see! (I will see it again before it pulls out forever from N.A. screens)

This is one of the greatest domestic movie successes in Norway in years, not only scoring very well at the box-office here, but also achieving some rave reviews from the press. The two has usually been a rare combination for a Norwegian movie, but 2000 finally saw such an anticipated result coming.

Admittedly, Detektor has a lot going for it, screenplay by Norway's most successful novelist in recent years, and starring the most promising actor Norway has seen in years, as well as a very well-known comedian.

However, in my opinion, Detektor doesn't really deliver. There are indeed some very amusing scenes, and the actors over-all do a good job, but the story-line itself is weak and rather bland, and there's really nothing that compelling about it, except a couple of rather surprising turns in some places.

As for people raving about this making it abroad, I can't see it happening really, as very much of its appeal, which is the humour, as far as I can see, probably won't go down that well with foreigners (e.g. the Sami private detective).

Despite my disappointment, it's pleasing to see that people's faith in Norwegian movies seems somewhat restored. A movie that scored with both the audience AND the press was heavily needed, even though I personally don't think that much of the one that actually made it. Here's hoping there'll be some making it in 2001 as well, and hopefully I will be able to justify those more than this one...