Company Orheim – Kompani Orheim (2012)

Directed by: Arild Andresen | 104 minutes | drama | Actors: Vebjørn Enger, Glenn André Viste Bøe, Kristoffer Joner, Eili Harboe, Andreas Cappelen, Malvin Kvam, Cecilie A. Mosli, Tone Beate Mostraum, Reno Muren, Øistein Saugerud, Gretelill Tangen

The Norwegian film ‘Company Orheim’ is the film adaptation of the second book in the trilogy about Jarle Klepp, by the Norwegian writer Tore Renberg. Both the first book, “Mannen som elsket Yngve” and the third, “Charlotte Isabel Hansen”, were already filmed in 2008 and 2011 respectively (‘The Man Who Loved Yngve’ and ‘I Travel Alone’). ‘The Man Who Loved Yngve’ was received very positively. ‘Yngve’ even received the prize for best Norwegian film at the Norwegian International Film Festival. Despite the fact that “Kompani Orheim” is the second book in this trilogy, the film stands alone. No prior knowledge is therefore required.

‘Company Orheim’ opens when protagonist Jarle Klepp (debut actor Vebjørn Enger) receives a phone call from his mother in the middle of the night. His father, Terje Orheim (Kristoffer Joner), has passed away. Jarle used to have the same surname as his father and together with his mother Helge (Glenn André Viste Bøe) they formed the so-called ‘Company Orheim’ as a family, as father Terje liked to call it. After the phone call, the now 24-year-old Jarle brings back memories of his younger years. As a viewer, we get a look at the traumatic early years of Jarle and the Orheim family.

In fact, ‘Company Orheim’ is a great throwback to Jarle’s youthful years. Only in the opening and closing scenes do we see Jarle as an adult, in the rest of the film we see him first as a boy of about ten years old and then as an adolescent boy, the last phase of which makes up most of the film. Immediately the bad bond between Jarle and Terje becomes clear. Terje can’t bear the fact that Jarle has other interests than him. Jarle, in turn, just wants to make his own choices. In addition, father Terje’s major alcohol problem and the resulting aggression. As a result, life at home is not always pleasant for Jarle. He would prefer to flee from this. As an adolescent he joins a communist association against racism and there is increasing distance between him and his parents.

Despite the fact that the focus of ‘Company Orheim’ is on the development of Jarle from adolescent to adult, it is really Kristoffer Joner who manages to steal the show with his very strong portrayal of father Terje. Whether it’s his outbursts of anger after reaching for the bottle for the umpteenth time, his stern, grumpy temper the next day or his cheerfulness when he promises to improve his life halfway through the story, Terje’s character is convincing in all respects. planes. In Norway, the experienced Kristoffer Joner has already won the so-called Amanda Award for best actor for this role. The other roles, such as that of mother Helge for example, are also strongly portrayed.

‘Company Orheim’ is a convincing drama. Because although the film does not tie up all the loose ends satisfactorily, leaving some small holes in the story, this is certainly not disturbing. You can also see the end coming from quite a distance, so this doesn’t come as a real surprise. Yet these flaws in the story are no more than trifles. After the book of the same name has already received rave reviews, you can safely say that the film adaptation of this Norwegian family drama is also highly recommended.