Pluskylang Great Film overall

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Candida It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Emily Berry Don't we all wish we had a guardian angel watching over us? The film Hawaii Oslo (Erik Poppe, 2004) explores this idea in an interesting way. The lives of ten different people in various tragic circumstances cross paths, centered around Vidar, a man who appears to be an angel. Vidar must try to stop the terrible things he has dreamed will happen, even if it means sacrificing himself. This film has something for just about everyone, with themes of love, loss, separation, brotherhood, and sacrifice. These themes come out through the plot, costumes, editing, and camera work. Before directing his first film, "Hawaii, Oslo", Erik Poppe worked as a cameraman; he clearly knows how to use a camera. The use of a hand held camera along with many close up shots makes the viewer feel close and connected to the characters, as though we are in Oslo with them. This is a film that can appeal to a wide audience, as it is relatable, touching, and entertaining. At the same time, those who love to pick apart film will find this one enjoyable, with many details and techniques to pay attention to.The film hints, and almost directly states that Vidar is an angel. Throughout the film, he wears a long sleeve white shirt. Right at the beginning of the film, Leon tells Vidar, "You're my guardian angel", and finds a feather falling off of him. A few scenes later, we see Vidar look in a mirror that has wings decorating the frame. He turns his back and for a second it looks like he has wings. He also regularly predicts the future through dreams and knows intimate details about people he has never met. In the end, he supernaturally changes places with Leon, and a few more feathers float off around him. All of the other characters (besides the delivery girl) seem authentically human, and all are in need of help. There are two sets of brothers in the film, whose lives have many compelling parallels. Within both pairs, the older brother is tougher and angrier, wears a red shirt, and wants to escape (from prison or from an orphanage). The younger brother is quieter, timid, and kind, wears a light tank top, and wants to stay where they are because of a woman (Asa or their mother). The older set of brothers, Leon and Trygve, have been separated for four years since Leon has been locked away in an institution and Trygve has been locked away in prison. The younger brothers, Mikkel and Magne, fear that they are about to be separated and "locked away" in separate orphanages since their father has died. Any viewer with siblings can probably relate to these characters, and understand their motivations. Both relationships are troubled, yet the brothers love each other. The theme of separation is also seen between Leon and Asa, who have been apart for 11 years. They made an agreement to marry if they were both still single at 25, so on Leon's birthday they finally reunite. Both are nervous and hesitant, but both seem hopeful in following through with their promise. It is easy to root for them, as they are both charming and sincere. At the same time, Mikkel and Magne are reunited with their mother, who has also been separated from them for 11 years. Both of these reunions do not go smoothly at first, but by the end, both end in love and acceptance. Another one of the themes in the film is death. Mikkel and Magne have recently lost their father. Mikkel believes he is to blame, but Vidar knowingly tells him it was not his fault. Although they don't know it, their mother has also just attempted suicide, but chooses to live once she learns of the fate of her sons. Meanwhile, Millon and Frode are devastated to learn that their newborn son has a rare heart defect that will kill him in a matter of days. This leads into the theme of sacrifice. When Frode learns there is a clinic in the U.S. that can perform an operation on their son for 900,000 kroner, he immediately goes home and sells all his worldly possessions. You can tell this is difficult for him, especially when he sells his prize guitar, but he is willing to give up anything to give his son a chance. A series of events leads to him finding a bag of money right when he has lost all hope. The couple agrees that they will take their chance with the operation. Vidar, in turn, makes the ultimate sacrifice. As he watches the events of his dream unfold he realizes there is only one thing he can do. We see Leon get hit by the ambulance, but then suddenly Vidar appears in his place. Leon is unscathed, and Vidar's last words are to tell Leon "I love you"; it is quite touching and sad. It is a tragic yet triumphant ending as everyone has ended up exactly where they needed to be. This award winning film will leave you thinking. The complexity, art, intelligence, and meaning in this film make it worth watching more than once.

Bret Mann Within the happenings of a twenty-four hour time period, the saying "what a small world" is perfectly captured by director Erik Poppe in this multi award winning film, Hawii, Oslo. The Norwegian film released in 2004 delivers a thrilling plot with a mix of people crossing each other's paths one way or another. Amongst multitude of events all happening during the sweltering hot 24-hours in Oslo, Poppe utilizes various creative filming techniques and intense, emotion-triggering music to make the viewer remember this day they watch on screen forever.We are introduced to Leon, a man living in an institution, waiting hopefully on his birthday for the arrival of Asa, the lady he promised to marry ten years back. While waiting for her arrival, Leon's brother, in prison for armed robbery, is allowed to go visit and celebrate the day with Leon. Though the prison puts trust in him to visit Leon, he has a secret plan to rob a bank and flee with his brother. As Asa makes her way to reunite with Leon she comes across two young boys, Magne and Mikkel, extremely lost in the world while processing their father's death and about to be separated by the foster care system, who steal her purse. Asa catches Magne, the younger of the two boys, and comes to find the disaster of an apartment and poor conditions the boys have been living in. A little later in the film, the boys' mother, whom recently attempted suicide, appears at the father's funeral because of the notice Magnus leaves her. We also encounter Frode, Milla, and their newborn son Aaron, who has a serious heart defect in need of an expensive surgery. Frode holds on to hope, as Milla has lost hers,and goes on a desperate search for 900,000 kroner to pay for a surgery. Frode unexpectedly crosses paths in a bank with Leon's brother and later in a park with Leon, ending up with the stolen money from Leon's brother's robbery. As extremely chaotic each of the characters lives unravels, each of them interacts with Vidar, a worker at the institution where Leon stays. While Vidar can foresee future events through the dreams he has, he is given insight into each of the people's lives we are following. While conflicted about whether what he knows is a part of reality or just a dream, he runs around Oslo attempting to save the people that might be in danger.From parts of the movie being filmed using a hand-held camera technique to the raw close-up shots on the faces of the actors during moments of pure intensity and emotion, Poppe flawlessly instills the emotion being portrayed on screen within the audience members. The hand-held camera shots made me feels as if I was one with the event occurring on the screen. The close-up shots during extremely important events, from the reunion of Leon and Asa to the tragic death at the end, allow us to relate to the scene as if we were standing right there with the actors. Both of these techniques utilized by Poppe create such an important connection between the film and audience members.To further reflect the emotions shown on screen into the viewers, purposefully selected music complements the climaxes of many scenes. The music takes the place of much of the verbal exchange that would otherwise occur between characters. The replaced verbal interaction by music ultimately causes the thoughts of the actors up to interpretation by the audience member. The music sets up a certain mood that correlates perfectly with the scene that may not have been able to be achieved by solely verbal interaction between characters.With help of the camera techniques and music throughout Hawaii, Oslo, we see the character struggle to accept, uncover, and understand their various realities, as well as the search for the true meaning of sacrifice and acceptance. The way each character deals with either sacrifice or acceptance within the reality they are facing make the viewer realize the complexity of each situation that occurs on screen. While living in complete truth and acceptance of ones reality may seems easy, we are able to see and experience the struggle it really takes through the characters in Hawaii, Oslo.Among the multitude of incredible aspects Poppe's multiple award winning film, Hawaii, Oslo incorporates, the filming techniques to the intense character-audience connection are some of the most influential parts of the film. These aspects allow the chaotic day in Oslo to impact the viewer as if they were standing in the exact scene. Hawaii, Oslo is a film you will want to see, if not for the creatively constructed piece of art Poppe has put together, but to see how small a world could really be.

peterm9 In his 2004 film, Hawaii, Oslo, Norwegian director Erik Poppe and screenplay writer Harald Rosennlow Eeg, explore the idea of the redemptive nature of compassion and love. The film drops the viewer into a kaleidoscope of individuals, set into motion in both the world of dreams and reality. Just as Leon compulsively runs, the movie moves towards a conclusion that seems unchangeable. Yet, individual's choices do change the outcomes. These individual choices reflect love and compassion through the themes of paradise, the guardian angel and the value of individual life. As the film closes, there is no clear resolution. The viewer does not know whether the baby will live, the mother will overcome her depression to raise her children or if Leon will be able to develop his relationship with Asa and live outside of the institution. Yet, the viewer is hopeful because all of the characters witnessing Vidar's death have all experienced the possibilities of healing through love and compassion. Hawaii and Oslo evoke different ideas of paradise. Hawaii is a physical paradise that juxtaposes Oslo's long winter. Ironically the action takes place during a heat wave when the temperature in Oslo is similar to average temperatures in Hawaii. Oslo reflects the social paradise of a socialist democracy underwritten by great financial resources. Leon is a beneficiary of such as system and the viewer notices how well he is treated while in institutionalized care. Yet, like the heat bothering Vidar, we glimpse the limits of such ideas of paradise. Physical institutions cannot replace humanity. Throughout the film, institutions fail individuals. Socialized medicine cannot support an "ethically irresponsible" unproven operation for the baby, the bank lender cannot go outside the rules of assets and the boys must be separated for foster homes. So, while paradise cannot be built either in socialist Norway or the tropical climate of Hawaii, individuals have the power to save each other. The idea of the guardian angel weaves itself throughout the story. The guardian angel is idealized in the characters of Vidar and the newspaper delivery girl. They both acknowledge their special roles when Vidar states to the girl, "You aren't…who you say you are." In return she states, "Neither are you." Vidar represents the idea of selfless love. He is the one that teaches Leon to love so that in the end Leon can say, "I love you." As Leon picks up the white feather, he directly calls Vidar his guardian angel. Yet, Vidar is ultimately not only his guardian angel, but also the one who sacrifices himself for all the others. With obvious Biblical references, Vidar tells the other male patient that what he does to Leon, he also does to him. The role of the newspaper girl is subtler. She provides compassion. She cares enough to check and the overdosed woman, to sing and provide comfort at the funeral and finally to hug the older boy when no one else can. Neither Vidar, nor the newspaper girl, develop through the story. Yet, they act as catalysts that propel other characters' development. The ambulance driver once again physically saves the overdosed woman, but through Vidar's urging, he goes beyond his job in order to help her become a mother again. Because he has done this, the mother is able to step forward to help her sons. Asa, who saved Leon from the wave machine, looks to Leon to restore her hope in the world. Leon, who was unable to say, "I love you," takes the gift of love from Vidar and is able to embrace Asa. Lastly Frode is able to give hope to his wife after she can no longer save their child through the connection of the umbilical cords. Frode sums up the kaleidoscope of connections when he recalls their first meeting. " I said without me you were a star with no place in the sky, but it's the other way around." In Hawaii, Oslo, Poppe and Eeg emphasize that human connections are much like the kaleidoscope: unpredictable, circular and interdependent. Throughout the film, there is a disconcerting idea of institutions being responsible for valuing or instilling the value of life. Trygve, unchanged by his prison sentence, rejects love and compassion for self-interest. Trygve's actions set into place the ultimate tragedy of the story, Vidar's self sacrifice. First, when the paramedic attempts to save the woman dying on the bank floor, Trygve kicks the paramedic off of the woman. The resulting wound impairs the ambulance drive's sight leading to the accident. Second, Trygve's pusuit of Leon in search of the money leads to Leon's flight into the dark streets. Trygve never acts with regard to other human life, but belittles life in pursuit of his own false ideals of paradise. Perhaps influenced by its own institutionalized optimism, the prison's negligence in releasing Trygve costs Vidar his life. Similarly, the viewer is disturbed by the value placed upon the infant's life by the hospital system. Frode directly attacks the doctors by asking, "Who gets to decide who lives." The movie challenges us to question whether an infant, the mentally ill or the orphaned are any less valuable than ourselves and why we allow institutions to define who is or who should be saved.As the characters gather around Vidar's body, the viewer is reminded that these characters keep walking by each other throughout the movie. Just as they are part of a community, we all form a larger community. Leon's poster asks Asa, "do you remember me?." Similarly the older boy's graffiti says, "I am." Hawaii, Oslo is a poignant reminder that our humanity is not simply who we are, but the sum of how we interact with each other. While institutions can improve life, they cannot provide what every individual needs, compassion and love.

earlgoldcrap Brief Synopsis: Vidar can dream into the future. What he sees frightens him. Extreme Foreshadowing! He runs a Hostel for mildly "touched" Leon who pines for his girlfriend of fifteen years ago, Asa, now a detached stewardess character with no lines, no backstory, and no character development, who's returning to celebrate Leon's birthday and presumably to marry him, due to a "pact" they made when children, along with Leon's brother, Trygve, who is temporarily released from prison (serving time for being represented with homo-erotic undertones -- wet and naked in jail! -- and armed robbery), and uses the birthday as an excuse to escape prison, while on the OTHER side of town a couple gives birth to a child with a heart condition in an ambulance that will soon embark to rescue a mother of two indigent children who is attempting suicide for the second or third time...You know what, I give up. There are like seven more characters and two more plots. Only a few of these many many MANY characters have any real life to them (all of them are men, for some reason), and in the end you just want Bruce Willis to come in and save everyone from a burning building and get it over with. We could have used just one of these plot s to realize a handful of characters, a real story, with real exposition.Influences: Rips Off (Half Heartedly) "Les Arbre De Desire", "Run Lola Run", "If Lucy Fell", with a wee bit of "Rainman" and "Mystery Train" thrown in for color.Sorry Norway, you're no Morocco! For a great movie about learning how to love, see "Roads to Koktebel" or "Viva Laldjerie".