Such a frustrating disappointment

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Stellan Skarsgård is an accomplished Swedish actor with international experience; he owns his role as Ulrik. The full IMDb storyline captures quite well the setting from which the plot evolves. The title is an excellent choice because that is what he is. At peace with his past but not repentant, because who he killed had it coming. He puts up with unsympathetic friends and family members, except his son who has to break ties with him at the prompting, insistence of his future stepdaughter and her family. Still he takes it in stride. He had respect in prison and now he doesn't but he prefers freedom anyway. He endures humiliating circumstances for a while, but we do see that he is not a pushover when he comes to the defense of a co-worker being abused by her estranged lousy half. The only moment when you understand that for the right reasons he could be violent again, without breaking a sweat; he is committed to do better and what he can to stay on the right path.This movie is about character development, one well worth watching. The movie is slow enough for an English or French speaking audience to follow the subtitles with little problem. It will not be interesting for the audience seeking action or comedy or profound drama. I liked it and recommend it if you have simply seen Stellan Skarsgård in other roles where he spoke either English or French. It is his first role as being somewhat of a gentle man.

A Somewhat Gentle Man (2010)Norwegians, even more than Swedes or Danes (at least in their films) seem to be glum, dour sorts. And our leading man, a big Norseman (played by Swedish great Stellan Skarsgard) just out of jail after serving 12 years for murder, is unhappy. But now, getting a job as a mechanic and living in the basement of the mechanic's wife, he is surrounded by such an odd assortment of regular people, his colorfully mundane struggle to survive and get a little along the way is hilarious and moving.It wouldn't be helpful to say exactly what happens--that he crosses up two women, that he tries to reunite with his son who's expecting a baby, that he has to "settle accounts" with some thugs who won't leave him alone. It's how these things happen, and who plays the characters, that makes this film really great fun. And expert fun. This is a tale well told, comic, patient, clever. The plot gets interwoven and impossible in a Shakespearean way (brought to a high pitch of plausible improbability by the delivery scene, you'll see), and so everything is tightly controlled. Even the music is a parody of itself, somehow, a light and spasmodic jazz funk score that helps make clear all of this is a little bit in fun, even when it gets awful in a couple parts.The characters here are unpretty types, either homely or ravaged or just so maladjusted we see only their peculiarities. And that's a lot of the charm. There's no artificial glitz, no idealizing characters, no beauty on the side drawing the main character from the reality around him. You grow to identify with the people for who they are, and even though there is a comic airiness throughout, these people become very real, too. It's a delightful result, and I don't use the word delightful much any more. Don't miss it.

The story is about the oldest in the book of organised crime based drama: ex-con's past hinders him in starting over. That doesn't get in the way of this movie one bit. Skarsgard makes it work in this story of people who all took a beating from life somewhere, without it becoming sentimental anywhere.an ex con released from prison finds his former buddies waiting for him to revive their mutual criminal careers. Skarsgard's Ulrich skillfully navigates through attempts to manipulate him and in the end does what he thinks is right. No big words, no big drama, just the subtle humor and Skarsgards solid Ulrich along with the strong performance of all cast makes this movie full of outcasts. A realistic yet entertaining watch.

Stellan Skarsgard has seldom been better than in this rather ho-hum tragicomedy which strives for laconic existentialism Kaurismäki-style, but settles for just slightly above average amusement in the end.The first half provides some solid chuckles, but all the likable character portraits on display lack subtlety. Later on, the narrative grows repetitive and some scenes feel forced.But the pic's worth a look and it is still preferable to those hyperactive gangster movies that guys like Guy Ritchie are churning out.6 out of 10 love-hungry landladies