Really Surprised!

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

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

I bought this movie sight unseen and was pleasantly surprised. While it's storyline is similar to something like "The Secret of My Success" (small town person with ambition finds a life and success in the big city) and it's nostalgia factor is reminiscent of "The Wedding Singer", it manages to be warmer, more charming and ultimately more memorable than either of those films.Furthermore, the soundtrack is just great. Alphaville, Roxy Music, ELO - and new songs by the lead character's band that are good enough to coax me into sending away for the CD.It's a shame this hasn't made it to the U.S. I think it would do well here, despite the small inclusion of a few Swedish particulars that might need some quick explaining for some (particularly references to Sweden's social support system) and quick shot of a guy's weener - uptight folks can't handle that here. It also has a very American feel to it - and it's nice to see that we're one of many cultures that regrets some of its fashion choices in the past decades.Distributors! Pick this one up! It's got hit written all over it!

I liked this movie and I found the actors/actress and the plot to be great. OK, it really brings back the memories of my own youth (14 and a punk back in 1984) but yet I'm trying to be objective. Great to see new good actors/actress and I hope to see most of them in the future (well I guess that Kjell will always find his way into your living room ? ..). A movie about teenagers may easily stumble in a lot of "klyshor" (translate that one for me??) but I think this movie held them off in a great way. Check it out.. What? 10 lines required... huh, what, am I writing a novel or what? Well, the movies surroundings and props are correct and accurate for the 80s and its always great to see an authentic "hocky frilla".

And with that I mean, I sat in a theater watching this movie, and within 10 minutes I was ready to leave, I don't know, I just couldn't relate at all with the story...The real confoundment came to me when leaving the theater (To this date, I have never walked out on a movie for better or worse) and my friends totally loved it. It was like I was watching some other movie altogether...Don't get me wrong with saying that and giving it a 3... I just think that I wasn't intended as part of the audience, because yes, it's beautifully shot. Yes it contain a bunch of exceptional characters, yes, it has some hilarious scenes and all that but the story never connected to me... I don't know, I just honestly don't know. It could be that all of the pal's that was at the theater had a background as struggling garage-bands. I didn't. You might love it...This all got to me as a surprise. I totally loved Malmros's last film, Smala Sussie, which had a wacky plot about movie-lovers/makers, a category of people that I feel included of, and I think I now can say that those that didn't love Smala Sussie probably was in the same seat as I am with this picture... I just don't get it. To me it was a movie about a struggling band with far too much Moodysson (a filmmaker that I never understood the greatness of) thrown in it... It's a shame and pity... I wanted to love it, but in the long run didn't care when the credits rolled...

It is 1984 and Abra is 19 years old and tired of the small village she lives in. However, events take her to the big town Gothenburg and adventures. The movie is charming and the characters sympathetic. For us who where teenagers in the mid 80's the movie is a journey back in time. All the groupings are there; punk-rockers, synthers, hard-rockers... and the soundtrack contains lots of representative music. The actors are all new faces in Swedish film and make a terrific job. Malmros has as always succeeded well with direction and camera. This is a true feel-good movie.Trivia: At the premiere in Gothenburg, the director Ulf Malmros was knocked down by a man who thought he had stood model for the nasty barman in the movie.