10 Quirky Movies: ‘O’Horten’

“O’Horten” (2007) – In the middle of a snowy winter in Oslo, Odd (Baard Owe), a train engineer, turns 67 and reluctantly faces his impending retirement.  A quiet loner, he’d prefer zero fanfare, but his coworkers plan an honorary dinner.  After he steps down, Odd runs into a series of odd circumstances that depart from his normal routines, ones that he has safely enjoyed for decades.

In this delightful comedy/drama, writer/director Bent Hamer presents a 90-minute feast of eccentric visuals and soft, caring moments with an unlikely hero placed front and center.  Although Odd keeps a very light social calendar and ensures that long-winded discussions are as rare as a Norwegian heatwave, he has plenty to say and offer.  Throughout the picture, he keeps most of these thoughts inside, but this makes his rare actions so memorable.

Image credits: Scanbox; Trailer credits: Curzon

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