Horten is celebrating with his pals at the Oslo (I think) train depot – his last day as train conductor is coming up, after 25 years or more of service. His life gets a bit out of tune when he gets caught in the appartment of a little boy and misses his own party as well as his last day of work, but more interestingly, his efforts to design a life after retirement are being characterized by odd encounters. The oddest one clearly with a man who sleeps on the street in the snow and claims he can drive a car blind-foldedly. While that effort somehow fails, Horten gets new courage out of this encouter, realises a handful of old dreams involving ski-jumping and visiting a nice woman in Bergen, and lives happily ever-after.
A mellow, calm film about the numbed senses you acquire in a life of service and order, and the beauty of breaking out of this occassionally. While the film has nothing that would allow to call it a masterpiece, it is a solid piece of work out of the “mainstream arthouse” corner of easily accessible, feel-good movies with loveable characters and a positive message. I preferred Brent Hamer’s “Kitchen Stories”, as it had some more edges and corners, but despite the lack of edge, “O’Horten” is just the right bit of fun for a night out with the girlfriends. Prosecco afterwards compulsory.
thomas4cinema 