Buddy

One can forgive the fact that this is more than just a little bit inspired by Ben Stillers film Reality Bites. Simply because it works as just what it is. This is not a demanding film, but a feel good adventure from beginning to end. At times it turns a bit "CLICHE". But it leaves you with a big smile and a good start for a night at the town.

An absolutely awesome movie, Buddy takes the audience into the lives of three guys in a flat who end up on television with convoluted consequences. Their lives will never be the same, and only the discovery of true loyalty and redemptive friendship can make the situation and experiences into something positive. The transformation is quite moving and the characters seem very real, everyday people. Equally interesting, the film crosses documentary with cinema story to interface and comment on "reality TV." Kudos.

In spite of the seeming capitulation to Hollywood-style romance and happy endings - very uncharacteristic of Norwegian films - this is an outstanding story about status, using people, allegiance to success and stardom vs. allegiance to caring for human beings, especially friends. "Buddy" goes through somewhat annoying yo-yo relationships that need more definition and less reliance on fickle happenstance. The choices are not black and white, and the characters struggle in them. The topical relevance (to 'reality' TV) is especially poignant. In spite of the over-emphasis on finding romance and happiness in loyalty and responsibility, I give it 9/10. One of the most provocative, "real" yet uplifting European films of the year. Worth watching multiple times.

This is one of the best romantic comedies I've seen in a long time. Not only does it bring some originality to the genre, the characters are explored in some depth and the acting is up to anyone's standards.

Our protagonist loses his girlfriend, has a brief fling with a roommate and then....well, that's where the originality starts. The cast of characters is an offbeat crew of sign painters, slackers, neurotic web designers and environmental activists, all of them looking to make the world a better place in the midst of their love affairs and financial woes.

This is a great date movie; it raises some issues that are worth discussing in the car on the way home; you may even get away with letting your hand stray off the gearshift to your date's thigh.

I've seen other Norwegian movies and enjoyed them quite a bit, the most notable being Svidd Neger. There is a vein of sly humor running through these movies that gives them the little extra they needed to stand out in a world of generic Hollywood romances.

I ordered this movie on Netflix, when i was looking through the foreign section. I didn't really know what it was about but i was willing to give it a chance. I ended up digging it and thinking that it is a pretty cool story of friendship and adversity that you go through with real friends. Then i realized that i recognized one of the characters, the one named Geir. i realized that i had seen another one of his movies (from Netflix), about a week earlier called UNO. I would recommned this movie because it is not too heavy but yet you are invested in the story and the characters and want to see how everything ends up. Anyway, i hope this helps.

Buddy is a movie that offers a good mix of laughter, friendship, and romance, with a dash of drama.

Compared to a fictive Hollywood version of this flick, its tone definitively much more nuanced. At first the two best friends start as very emotionally immature young men, but without exaggeration. Every character evolves, but sensibly. There are romantic gestures, but nothing over the top. The only thing to muddle those calm waters is at the very end. In real life nobody would do that, but it's easy to excuse it given the quality of the overall performance.

The scenario is nothing new, yet interesting enough with a wide variety elements combined in a pretty homogeneous fashion. You'll have a pleasant evening watching this film.