Los Bando (2018)

Directed by: Christian Lo | 94 minutes | adventure, comedy | Actors: Tage Johansen Hogness, Jakob Dyrud, Tiril Marie Høistad Berger, Jonas Hoff Oftebro, Vera Vitali, Ingar Helge Gimle, Stig Henrik Hoff, Frank Kjosås, Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby, Ine F. Janssen, Nils Ole Oftebro, Zahid Ali, Ingrid J. Nordby, Amalie Nerum, Per Bohlin, Emma Heimark, Karoline Torgauten

Best friends Axel and Grim play together in a band, Los Bando Immortale. Axel plays guitar and sings (out of tune) and Grim plays drums (and dares not say anything). However, when they are finally allowed to participate in the Norwegian talent show for rock musicians after countless previous attempts, they are faced with a few problems: they are good, but are they good enough to win? They should at least have a bass player, right? And how do they actually get there, in that far north of Norway?

However, the boys do not give up and hold an audition in good spirits. Unfortunately, only one person shows up. And he doesn’t even have a bass with him, but a cello! In fact, it’s a girl! She’s not even ten! However, when this Thilda puts her talent into practice, Axel and Grim are convinced. Thilda might just be their secret weapon!

The transport problem is then tackled and the solution for that too soon presents itself. Martin, the 17-year-old son of the garage owner in the area, offers to take the tire to Tromsø in exchange for the accumulated tire money. He ‘borrows’ his brother’s pimped camper for this. And so the four young people travel with (too) high expectations. Nothing goes as planned.

‘Los Bando’ is an expertly made road movie for a wide audience. The main target group is between Thilda and Martin in age, but even if you fall outside that, you have to have a heart of stone not to be touched by the life experience these young people gain here. Because of course every member of the group has something in the stomach: one is in love with a girl who does not like him, the other is struggling with arguing parents. There are moms and dads who don’t look after their child and there are fathers who have wrong expectations for the future of their offspring. These issues are not just a short stop in the story. They are not written to give the appearance of depth, but are well developed in the film, without compromising the smooth course.

‘Los Bando’ really runs like a well-oiled machine. Director Christian Lo (‘Rafiki’) has managed to find the right balance between humor and drama and has managed to make a surprising whole from the elements that a somewhat experienced viewer recognizes from other films. Aided by a solid cast, of which we will hopefully see and hear more in the future (although… Jakob Dyrud and hearing are not a good combination), and great music, the Norwegian scores a big enough with this tough, funny and moving road movie . Go see it, you won’t regret it.