Buddy (2003 film)

Infobox Film
name = Buddy


image_size =
caption =
director = Morten Tyldum
producer =
writer = Lars Gudmestad
narrator =
starring = Nicolai Cleve Broch
Aksel Hennie
Anders Baasmo Christiansen
Pia Tjelta
Janne Formoe
music = Lars Lillo-Stenberg
cinematography = John Andreas Andersen
editing = Eli Nilsen
distributor = Happy Endings A/S
released = Norway: 4 July 2003
runtime = 100 min.
country = Norway
language = Norwegian
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0371589

"Buddy" is a Norwegian film from 2003. It was directed by Morten Tyldum after a script by Lars Gudmestad. The music was composed by Lars Lillo-Stenberg, known from the band DeLillos. The film was well received by critics, and was awarded two Amanda Awards in 2004.

Plot

The film is about the 24-year-old Kristoffer (Nicolai Cleve Broch), who lives in Tøyen in Oslo with his friends Geir (Aksel Hennie) and Stig Inge (Anders Baasmo Christiansen). Geir likes to live dangerously, while Stig Inge is a more cautious and uncertain type. Kristoffer and Geir work as billboard hangers, and in his spare time Kristoffer makes a video diary with Geir and Stig Inge, containing stunts of a "Jackass"-nature. When Kristoffer's girlfriend, Elisabeth, leaves him, his life seems to fall to pieces. Then his videos are featured on Norway's most popular talk show, "God morgen Norge" on TV 2, and Kristoffer becomes famous.

Main cast

* "Kristoffer Haukeland" – Nicolai Cleve Broch
* "Geir" – Aksel Hennie
* "Stig Inge Otnes" – Anders Baasmo Christiansen
* "Henriette" – Pia Tjelta
* "Elisabeth" – Janne Formoe

Production

The idea for the movie started with two A4 pages of text in January 2002, from which it developed quickly.no icon cite news|url=http://www.aftenposten.no/kul_und/film/article577595.ece|title=En film om byen de elsker|last=Østli|first=Kjetil S|date=2003-07-04|publisher=Aftenposten|accessdate=2008-07-21] The creators described it as a love declaration for the city of Oslo, a city they believed was under-represented on film. The choice of composer for the score – Lars Lillo-Stenberg – was in the same spirit; in the words of Tyldum: "He "is" Oslo".

"Buddy" received support from "Norsk Filmfond" – the Norwegian government body for film funding – on 12 June, 2002. [no icon cite web | url = http://www.dagbladet.no/tekstarkiv/artikkel.php?id=5001020032952 | title = Seks nye filmer fikk filmstøtte | publisher = Dagbladet | author = | date = 2002-06-13 | accessdate = 2008-07-21] Neither the script writer, the director, the producer or the actor for the main character had worked with feature-length films prior to this project.no icon cite web | url = http://www.dagbladet.no/tekstarkiv/artikkel.php?id=5001020053195 | title = "Buddy" - debutantenes film | publisher = Dagbladet | author = Sissel Fantoft | date = 2002-09-17 | accessdate = 2008-07-21] The director, Morten Tyldum, had worked with television, music videos, commercials and short films before, and he had been named "Film talent of the year" by the newspaper "Dagbladet" in 1999, but this was his first full-length motion picture.

Reception

"Buddy" was generally well received by the Norwegian press. The newspaper" Verdens Gang" gave it five out of six points, and remarked that in spite of a simple story, the movie was "damn well made". [no icon cite web | url = http://www1.vg.no/film/film.php?id=1035 | title = Godt norsk | publisher = Verdens Gang | author = Jon Selås | date = 2003-08-22 | accessdate = 2008-07-21] "Dagbladet" was less impressed, and gave the film four out of six points. The reviewer concluded that the film makers had succeeded in what they set out to do: to create an essentially "harmless" "feel-good-movie" after an American model. [no icon cite web | url = http://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/2003/08/22/376553.html | title = Søt med bismak | publisher = Dagbladet | author = Eirik Alver | date = 2003-08-22 | accessdate = 2008-07-21] The movie was also released internationally, and reviewed by the American magazine "Variety". Eddie Cockrell, as opposed to the Norwegian reviewers, thought the film was "overly plotted". He found the movie to be "on the sweet side", but commended its "solid, sympathetic characterizations from the five leads". [cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117921221.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0|title=Buddy (Norway)|last=Cockrell|first=Eddie|publisher=Variety|accessdate=2008-07-21]

The film was awarded two Amandas in 2004: for "Best Film (Norwegian)" and "Best Actor" (Christiansen). It was also nominated in the category "Best Screenplay". It also received the "Audience Award" and the "Most Enjoyable Film" (awarded by Theatre Owners) at the Norwegian International Film Festival, the festival where the Amandas are awarded. [cite web | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371589/awards | title = Awards for Buddy (2003) | publisher = IMDb | author = | date = | accessdate = 2008-07-21] At the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic it won the "Audience Award" in competition with 200 other films. [no icon cite web | url = http://www1.vg.no/film/artikkel.php?artid=67735 | title = "Buddy" kan bli Norges neste storfilm | publisher = Verdens Gang | author = Ronny Oksvold | date = 2003-07-13 | accessdate = 2008-07-21]

References

External link

*imdb title|0371589