O'Horten

Odd Horten (well played by Bard Owe) is a retiring 67-year-old Oslo train conductor whose consciousness expands over a couple of days in Brent Hamer's ("Factotum") fascinating seriocomic character study. Pragmatic and self-effacing, Horton is a lonely bachelor whose high regard for the ritual and regimentation of his job has made him respected among his peers, but has also prevented him from exploring the world he has viewed only from inside his speeding train. With his leather jacket and ever-present pipe, Odd is a kind old soul finally finding his emotional footing. A visit to his decrepit mother reminds him that he still has some youthfulness inside him, and informs his personal journey. "O'Horten" is a potent and unpretentious movie full of simple joy.
Rated PG-13. 89 mins. (B) (Three Stars)