Tell me a story

Viewed on January 5, 2013 on Netflix Streaming

Göran and Sven are newlyweds. They’ve just moved into a new house in a new neighborhood, and they’d like a new addition to their family, but because they’re gay they’re pretty much at the bottom of the list to get a baby. This is how the system works in Sweden in 2008. However, after much disappointment, they finally get a letter from the agency telling them that a boy named Patrik is available. His age: 1,5. They think the comma to be a typo and that the baby is one and a half. It really is a typo; Patrik is 15.

So imagine the conflict that arises when there’s a knock on the door and instead of someone dropping off a cute little baby, there is a teenager standing at their door. Now imagine how much worse that conflict becomes when Patrik learns that they are a gay couple and when they simultaneously learn that Patrik is homophobic. OK, now imagine what happens when they take him back to the adoption agency only to find out that they’ll have to wait next week to sort the whole issue out. I mean how great a premise is that? You practically can’t help but ask what happens next? And even if the answer is somewhat predictable, it’s still enjoyable and entertaining seeing it played out.

The movie focuses on the couple’s relationship with Patrik and with each other. It’s about love in all the shapes it takes. It’s funny, it’s charming, and a bit whimsical. You’ll find yourself rooting for Göran (played by Gustaf Skarsgård). He’s got a gentle soul and a good heart. Patrik (played by Tom Ljungman) makes it harder to like him. Sven (played by Torkel Petersson) even more so. The neighborhood even more more so.

On the surface all the neighbors are all close, and seem to value community and cordiality, but the movie slowly chips away at that façade. Neighbors have affairs, they purposely exclude the Göran and Sven from parties, Göran is threatened with violence, people make perverted assumptions about the couple having a 15 year old boy with them. And the neighborhood kids shout, “homo” at them and then run away. Then, in a really telling moment, one of the kid asks Göran what a “homo” is.

Yet even though the movie explores this kind of ignorance and hypocrisy, you get the sense that they wanted to do even more with it. When Göran is threatened you expect that storyline to return, but it never does. It almost feels like they ran out of time, or the movie was becoming too unwieldy by trying to tackle the huge issue of homophobia while telling the small story of Göran, Sven and Patrik. But at least it tries and it doesn’t do it in a preachy manner. I recommend the film. You’ll laugh, feel and possibly understand a mistreated minority even better. What more can you ask for?

My Rating

Patrik, Age 1.5
Director: Ella Lemhagen
Writer: Ella Lemhagen, Michael Druker