Uno (2004)

This is a complete crap movie packed with disturbing violence, poor dialog and dull music.****** SPOILER ALERT ****** The movie starts out as a poor C action movie with lots of violence and some wrongs who needs to be righted. And so it runs for 1 hour and 50 minutes and the viewer thinks that the "hero" is gonna settle things and get justice. Instead he gets mashed up by a Pakistan gang together with the biggest prick in the movie and so all the bad guys wins, and the hero is left laying in a pile of blood, blinking his eyes twice before it fades to black. Woah, way to go...NOT! I believe that the filmmaker and star Aksel Henie intended for us to cry and weep after watching this movie, but it simply does NOT work at all. Building up a lot of anticipation of justice for the hero, and then let him get mashed up and probably killed, is not good.It's like putting together a movie who starts out like Sylvester Stallones Rambo and then just before the end, insert Milos Forman's "Valmont" or "Amadeus" with the sad ending, and expect people to think that the movie was brilliant and make the audience cry and weep. It doesn't work that way. If one wants to make a brilliant sad movie, then the movie needs more to it, then just a hero, some bad guys and lots of violence and injustice.This poor made action-movie could have worked if the hero succeeded in getting justice for him and his family.****** End of spoiler ****** If you are looking for a good Norwegian movie, then steer away from this one because it sucks so badly!!!

OK, this movie has received a lot of harsh comments, even though it is one of the best Norwegian films ever made.Aksel Hennie has written the screenplay himself, he started several years before his dream of the film became realized. The movie is based on a good story, set in Downtown-Oslo. The characters are involved in the shady side of the society, and this gives the film a good plot.As a first in Norwegian film history, a guy with Downs-syndrome plays Aksels brother, who has downs-syndrome. According to Aksel, this gave the character more credibility, and the guy does a really good job.The screenplay, acting and music in this film is top notch, a film worth seeing!

This about gang criminality, loyalty to the gang and cowardliness was a very pleasant surprise. I find it to be a realistic picture of how these things operate with well developed characters, good script, realistic atmosphere with sometimes a very strong feeling of anxiety and the actors are all fit their role very good including the mother of David and Kjetil who I find very understanding of the situation and a strong mother. Best is Bjørn Floberg as Jarle though. He is quite scary actually.Aksel Hennie put a lot of work into the script and you can tell. It moves very quickly with no dead points. The relations are thought out. Camera-work is good too, Oslo center-east is put forth as it feels, but not too easily is transmitted through pictures. Recommended together with 'Hawaii, Oslo' in which Hennie plays a similar role in the neighbourhood of this movie and 'Schpaaa' also about Oslo underworld and its affiliation with youths. Both are by Erik Poppe. Not meant to take away the spotlight from 'Uno' though.

This film is not the one you should see if you want to have a cheerful evening. It is a very strong story from the reality in Oslo's gang/crime world. During the film i felt it in my guts. The depression, the anxiety and the fear the many characters must feel. the director Hennie has made a film that has a nerve during the hole film. A definitive must see film!.!The cast also have a credibility you don't often see (espesially in norwegian movies). For other nordic readers this film will remind you of the danish film "Pusher". Its much the same anxiety the characters feel when they have to deliver money the creepy gangsters. Again a MUST SEE FILM!