Les joies de la famille

I love the low-key quality of the film and the main character. As another reviewer wrote, the couple and Patrick are faced with numerous homophobic situations. Many aren't addressed simply because that's how life is as a gay man or woman.

Best gay film I've seen in a long while. Very little sex and language but rather, incredibly deep characters and struggles in relationships.

The main character, Goran, is spectacular. He is gentle and sincere while being incredibly strong in protecting his family. Amazing work. His partner, Sven, struggles with settling down, starting a family again (he has a 16 yr old daughter from his previous marriage), and living in a typical suburban neighborhood. The neighborhood dynamic is great. Each neighbor is really big on keeping their white picket fence front yards in amazing shape to outdo their neighbor. However, perfectly pruned front yards doesn't mean the family behind the door is doing as well.

Amazing film.

The film is understated. Everything that happens is believable, nothing crazily exaggerated for the movies. The protagonist is half of a gay male couple. He is a doctor. He is quite sensitive. The world around him treats him quite badly, no matter how hard he tries to play fair and compassionately. His neighbours pretend to be liberal and accepting, while teaching their kids homophobia behind his back.

In one brilliant scene, he has to give a little girl a vaccination. She asks him if he is a "homo". He answers yes. Then she asks what it means. He explains he loves males rather than females. She asks him who in particular he loves. She has no prejudice at all. Her father bursts in and violently accuses him of being a paedophile. Nobody in the movie seems to understand the difference between gay and paedophile. Our protagonist sees it as pointless to try to set them straight.

Our protagonist is compassionate. He is able help others by seeing the world from their perspective, and by ignoring the rude or thoughtless things they say.

The boy is a brat, but not an outrageous brat. He comes around just from continuous gentle kindness.

In a suburb in Sweden, the gay Dr. Göran (Gustaf Skarsgård) and his "husband", the executive Sven (Torkel Petersson) receive a letter informing that they will finally adopt an orphan – Patrik 1,5. They understand that Patrik is a one and half year-old baby and they prepare a room for the baby. However, there is a typo and Patrick (Tom Ljungman) is actually a fifteen year-old homophobic teenager with criminal record.

The gay couple assumes that there is a mistake, but it is Friday afternoon and they need to wait until Monday to contact the Social Service. Along the weekend, Sven has friction with the adolescent, but Göran befriends Patrik, who is an experienced gardener. Göran and Sven have an argument about Patrik and Sven leaves Göran.

When Göran learns that Patrik has been rejected by families for ten years, he decides to adopt Patrik. But now he is alone and the process of adoption is no longer valid and he needs to prepare a new application.

I am not a fan of films with the theme "gay couple", but Patrik 1.5 is a pleasant surprise. The story is funny, dramatic and romantic and the trio Gustaf Skarsgård, Torkel Petersson and Tom Ljungman is charismatic and shows a great chemistry. The director and writer Ella Lemhagen is very sensitive and never overexploits the gay relationship of Göran and Sven.

The prejudice of the neighbors of Göran and Sven is impressive considering the image of freedom in sex that the Swedish people have in my country. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Patrik 1.5"

This is a lovely, gentle, intelligent and totally believable movie that explores so many different themes through the simple premise of a gay couple wanting to adopt a child and not getting exactly what they had expected. While the ending may be predictable - and completely satisfying! - it is the getting there that makes this movie so good. The movie explores homophobia, social expectations, delinquency, relationship dysfunction and more and does so in a way that is not preachy or overly emotional or sensationalised. It is all low-key and completely believable. This is combined with great acting, truly likeable main characters and an engaging story and makes for a wonderful movie.

I loved it! The background of the film was a mix between that of Pushing Up Daises and August Rush, the plot was deep and current, and the characters made me laugh and cry. Patrik was an @$$ in the beginning but slowly softened up and so did Sven. And Göran was kind hearted and real. I loved how they evolved over span of the film and how their actions said more then the words they sad. Anyone straight, gay, bi, or lesbian should see this. I laughed out loud at the retort of Göran and Patrik, and cried at the moments od Patrik's baby pics and the separation of Sven and Göran. I wish that all people had the opportunity to watch this because it would open their eyes to problems that still go on today, and soften hearts.