Fresh
An ingeniously dry and bittersweet comedy about that 1940s and '50s research.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Free account saves your watchlist and ratings.
Kitchen Stories
Overview
Swedish efficiency researchers come to Norway for a study of Norwegian men, to optimize their use of their kitchen. Folke Nilsson (Tomas Norström) is assigned to study the habits of Isak Bjørvik (Joachim Calmeyer). By the rules of the research institute, Folke has to sit on an umpire's chair in Isak's kitchen and observe him from there, but never talk to him. Isak stops using his kitchen and observes Folke through a hole in the ceiling instead. However, the two lonely men slowly overcome the initial post-war Norwegian-Swede distrust and become friends.
Director and cast
- Bent Hamer Director
- Joachim Calmeyer as Isak Bjørvik
- Tomas Norström as Folke Nilsson
- Bjørn Floberg as Grant
- Reine Brynolfsson as Malmberg
- Sverre Anker Ousdal as Dr. Jack Zac. Benjaminsen
- Gard B. Eidsvold as Bakkemann
- Lennart Jähkel as Green
- Leif Andrée as Dr. Ljungberg
- Bjørn Jenseg as Vaktmester
- Jan Gunnar Røise as Vaktmesterassistent
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
91%
Tomatometer
Fresh
A prime piece of comic anthropology.
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine/Vulture
Fresh
What starts as a satire of the methodical, modernity-seeking society in Sweden ends as a heartwarming dramatic comedy in Norway.
Marta Barber, Miami Herald
Fresh
A thoroughly charming oddity. And, in the end, a moving one, too.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Fresh
Kitchen Stories is so subtle that many viewers will not be aware that it's screamingly funny.
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
More films
Duplex (2003)
Comedy · PG-13
When a young couple buys their dream home, they have no idea what the sweet little old lady upstairs is going to put them through!
- Runtime
- 1h 29m
- Director
- Danny DeVito
- Cast
- Ben Stiller, Drew Barrymore, Eileen Essell
IMDb
5.9
Rotten Tomatoes
35%
Metacritic
50
Goal II: Living the Dream (2007)
Drama · PG-13
Tempted away from Newcastle United to join Real Madrid, rising star Santiago Munez finds this latest change of fortune the greatest challenge yet - personally as well as professionally. He is reunited with Gavin Harris, though they must compete to be on the team, and estranged from fiancee Roz, whose nursing career keeps her back home.
- Runtime
- 1h 55m
- Director
- Jaume Collet-Serra
- Cast
- Kuno Becker, Stephen Dillane, Anna Friel
IMDb
5.8
Rotten Tomatoes
39%
Another Year (2010)
Comedy · Drama · PG-13
During a year, a very content couple approaching retirement are visited by friends and family less happy with their lives.
- Runtime
- 2h 9m
- Director
- Mike Leigh
- Cast
- Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville, Ruth Sheen
IMDb
7.3
Rotten Tomatoes
92%
Metacritic
80
Sex (2024)
Drama · N/A
Two married, heterosexual chimney sweeps face experiences that unsettle their views on sexuality and identity. One has a same-sex encounter without considering it either as an expression of homosexuality or infidelity. The other finds himself in dreams where he is seen as a woman.
- Runtime
- 1h 58m
- Cast
- Jan Gunnar Røise, Thorbjørn Harr, Siri Forberg
IMDb
6.6
Rotten Tomatoes
86%
Metacritic
69
St. Vincent (2014)
Comedy · PG-13
A young boy whose parents just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic, war veteran who lives next door.
- Runtime
- 1h 42m
- Director
- Theodore Melfi
- Cast
- Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts
IMDb
7.3
Rotten Tomatoes
78%
Metacritic
64
Snow (1963)
Documentary · N/A
Comprising train and track footage quickly shot just before a heavy winter's snowfall was melting, the multi-award-winning classic that emerged from the cutting-room compresses British Rail's dedication to blizzard-battling into a thrilling eight-minute montage cut to music. Tough-as-boots workers struggling to keep the line clear are ...
- Runtime
- 8m
- Director
- Geoffrey Jones
IMDb
7.0
Rail (1967)
Documentary · N/A
"Rail" captures British Railways at a major turning-point in its history. In certain respects, this was a period of considerable upheaval and loss. There was a facing-up to the increasing need for a big modernisation drive. Full and speedy electrification, or the wider promotion of diesel-power on remaining lines, became a matter of to...
- Runtime
- 14m
- Director
- Geoffrey Jones
IMDb
7.4
Locomotion (1975)
Documentary · N/A
Collage film about the history of trains set to music.
- Runtime
- 16m
- Director
- Geoffrey Jones
IMDb
7.2
Shell Spirit (1963)
N/A
Directed by Geoffrey Jones.
- Runtime
- 2m
- Director
- Geoffrey Jones
IMDb
6.8
Comments
Talk about the film with other members