Touches You

Really Surprised!

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Good movie but grossly overrated

It's 1958 Sweden. Young boy Ingemar (Anton Glanzelius) is living with his older brother and his seriously ill mother. His best friend is a blonde little girl. The brothers are sent away when their mother gets too weak. Ingemar goes to live with his mother's odd brother Gunnar (von Brömssen) and his wife Ulla (Kicki Rundgren) in a rural town in Småland. Town tomboy Saga (Melinda Kinnaman) is a better athlete than every other boys and she grows to like Ingemar.The puppy love is adorable. This is a cute and a good deal of inappropriate coming-of-age story. It is hilarious at times. Kinnaman is funny and adorable especially when she starts getting jealous. The two of them are just adorable together.

First off I loved this film! I've seen Lasse Halstrom's English films after reading the novels and wasn't impressed. I think The Shipping News especially did not capture the atmosphere and humour of the novel. But, I love Swedish cinema starting with one of my favorite directors Ingmar Bergman right up to Pelle the Conqueror. I think the Swedish language, landscapes and climate lend themselves to a distinct flavour. I'd say I went into My Life as a Dog with mixed expectations.What I found was probably the most intelligent coming-of-age films I've seen. I'm sure American's have their soft spot for Stand by me and other coming-of-age films they can directly relate to but for those with a broader perspective, this is a very rewarding film. The acting by all the 10-13 year olds is superb. The story, based on a semi-autobiographical book is tender, touching and realistic. There is an element of fantasy but nothing off-putting or tedious like so many French films (Amelie and A Very Long Engagement being two films I especially dislike).The film is set in the late 50's and apart from the coming of age theme, it deals with boxing - Ingemar something or other beat Floyd Pattersen! -; dogs - apparently the Russians sent a dog in space without enough food and young Ingemar's dog is cruelly taken away from one at a particularly vulnerable time; and a budding sexual awakening guaranteed to rile up prudish Americans even if its innocent and unerotic. I won't elaborate on the plot but would strongly a recommend a viewing for those who appreciate intelligent coming-of-age movies from a different culture. You can decide after first viewing whether or not its appropriate for your children to see. I personally see nothing inappropriate in the themes or the treatment.

Beautiful, poignant and not so funny if you lost a parent in childhood. I shed lots of tear in this movie and I never forget it. When I see the mother in bed and the two small children trying to find their way forward - yes "it could have been worse" but this situation is bad enough. I took my wife to see so she could know what I was going through inside.This movie is very brave in its treatment of the challenge of raising a child when you are that child. I would recommend it to anyone who works with childhood trauma, deprivation and neglect. It shows how a child can grow up strong but for me it was not funny. Bring your handkerchief. One of the best.

This Swedish film offers a different kind of story and a strangely appealing one. Anton Glanzelius is good as the 12-year-old who not only stars in the movie but does a good job narrating it as well. When he finds himself in a tough situation, he always compares himself to something worse, such as a Soviet space dog and its unfortunate lot. The tomboyish-looking young girl who flirts with him, Melinda Kinnaman, is fun to watch, too. I wonder what she looks like now as an adult?For kids that young, I thought there was a little too much emphasis on sex, but mostly it's just natural curiosity of what the other sex looks like, and the intentions are innocent.Overall, it is a charming film with almost all (one exception: his older brother) likable people.