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PRAISE:
"Skarsgård is in class with his great timing and
his laconic expression." ...Kai Arne Johansen,
Cinerama.no
"From the moment the ever-dignified Stellan
Skarsgård steps into view sporting a wispy ponytail, you know this
Norwegian crime comedy will be a sly delight... Skarsgård's
performance is understated genius; his expressionless participation
in the most squirm-inducing sex scene ever filmed will rank high on
this year's honor roll of comedic highlights." ...Colin
Covert, Star Tribune
"Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland and Swedish actor Stellan
Skarsgård are a match made in
cinema heaven... In the criminal comedy 'A Somewhat Gentle Man' they
achieve a cool, deceptively simple minimalism which is both
perfectly timed and brilliantly pared-down... In one hilarious
scene, an arhythmic Ulrik tries to dance alone to the Latin music.
In case anyone hasn’t realised it, Skarsgard is an excellent
physical comedian." ...Howard Feinstein, Screen Daily
"Skarsgård,
mostly a character actor in American films, proves once again that,
in fact, he's a leading man of depth and nuance." ...Marshall
Fine, Huffington Post
"Only an actor of Skarsgård's
resources could do so little and make such a big impression."
...Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer.
"The talented Swedish-born actor Stellan
Skarsgård has a face that’s almost instantly forgettable. I mean
that as praise. His blandness — he’s not quite handsome, not quite
homely — lets him slip unnoticed into the various skins of his
characters, and under our skins as well. Suddenly we realize this
unmemorable man is doing uncommonly fine and focused work. Hollywood
has used Skarsgård as sniffy Euro-snobs ('Good Will Hunting') and
reliable exotica (his Bootstrap Bill in the 'Pirates of the
Caribbean' series); what he doesn’t get is a lot of leads. So the
poker-faced Norwegian crime comedy “A Somewhat Gentle Man’’ is
welcome, in part because Skarsgård is almost the whole show but also
because the actor doesn’t use the role as an excuse to put on a big
performance — to do more. On the contrary, he quite wonderfully does
less." ...Ty Burr, Boston Globe
"With its casually handled subplots, A Somewhat
Gentle Man is ultimately a character study of a rather quiet
character. Skarsgård underplays his man of few words, but he’s
captivating and charming nonetheless, particularly when he watches
Geir and smiles ear to ear." ...Tricia
Olszewski, Washington City Paper
"Played for laughs drawn from
characters rather than funny lines, the Norwegian film is a
charmer... It's the kind of film that sneaks up on you and leaves a
warm smile. It should do very well in international markets and
festivals will line up to offer applause... Skarsgård,
who uses his heavy body and seen-it-all eyes to portray a man whose
acceptance of the way the wind blows can give way to sudden and
matter-of-fact brutality. His face also lights up in delighted
bemusement when he realizes now and then that he really hasn't seen
it all." ...Ray Bennett, The Hollywood Reporter
"When Skarsgård
takes a break from the great American films and sets out with
Moland, he adds character to the film as well as an extra dimension
of professionalism and credibility. Through a unique presence, he
communicates largely through body language, and it works perfectly!"
...Simen Beck, Filmbyen.no
"Skarsgård
delivers a good performance... He is a master of comic timing. At
the same time he manages to convey the soreness and uncertainty in a
convincing manner." ... Svein Rune Nyland, Rbnett.no
"With the sheer volume of his supporting roles in
English language films such as the 'Pirates of the Caribbean'
trilogy, it’s extremely easy to take the excellent work Stellan
Skarsgård does for granted. He’s
the type of actor who disappears into roles, and his performance
here is no exception. He’s not acting, he simply is Ulrik. The rest
of the cast also all turn in excellent performances that play off of
Skarsgård and each other
perfectly." ...George Hickman, Scene-stealers.com
"Hans Petter Moland's new film will be remembered
for some of the time funniest sex scenes in Norwegian film
history... The humor is direct and raw, but also subtle. Writer Kim
Fupz Akesson has done the preliminary work with the creative script.
But Moland has processed the goods through an ensemble that adds
heart and soul into the characters. Skarsgård
doesn't talk much, but portrays a gamut of emotions through small
eyes, a smile, a frown or a worried glance... This is funny, crazy
and entertaining." ...Borghild Maaland, VG Nett
"The combination of Hans
Petter Moland and Stellan Skarsgård
is extraordinarily successful. The fact is there is good chemistry
between the director and actor and Stellan Skarsgård
has never been better as he carries the film, helped by a handful of
veterans of Norwegian film." ...Geir Kamsvåg, Film &
Cinema
"Skarsgård
took home the Best Actor award at Fantastic Fest and rightfully so.
Playing a man composed entirely of contradictions, Skarsgård
says more with an angry glare or sad smile than most actors can say
with a two-minute monologue." ...Jacob Hall, Chud.com
"It's a particular pleasure to
see Skarsgård centerstage for a
change after a long run of character roles in Hollywood fare,
particularly the frothy likes of 'Mamma Mia!' and 'Angels and
Demons,' in which his talents have been a little wasted. He anchors
'Man' with morose docility, a gentleness per the title, that
beautifully sets off the rest of the ensemble's flashier displays."
...Leslie Felperin, Variety
"Skarsgård's
performance is precise and cautious but commanding all the same.
Slightly hunched but quiet, his graying ponytail dragging out over
the overalls he wears at the car body shop where Jensen finds him a
job, his Ulrik is somebody waiting for life to find him again.
Incredibly, Skarsgård
is able to make this waiting compelling." ...Chris
Barsanti, Filmcritic.com
"Stellan Skarsgård gives a sensitive performance
that balances fragility and toughness because you can sense that
sadness and regret lurk beneath Ulrik’s macho appearance. He doesn’t
share his feelings much, but he doesn’t need to because his eyes
speak volumes about what he’s truly feeling." ...NYC
Movie Guru
"The movie is an unassuming and surprising piece
of entertainment that quietly defies more than a little convention
in its mix of laughs and sweetness. Skarsgård
shines in the kind of starring role that he’ll never get in
Hollywood. And that’s not just because he shows his wang."
...Rob Hunter, Film School Rejects
"Charms with quiet humor... Stellan Skarsgård
is irresistable in the role of Ulrik... His contrived raised
eyebrows and timid body language portray a subdued man through
precision acting, and sent this reviewer into fits of laughter time
after time." ...Håvard
Lund, OA Norway