Ping pong-kingen

 

Ping Pong-Kingen 2008

• Director: Jens Jonsson
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Jerry Johansson, Hampus Johansson, Georgi Staykov, Ann-Sofi Nurmi, Fredrik Nilsson, Alicia Stewén
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Georgi Staykov – Luftslottet som sprängdes, Flickan som lekte med elden, Män som hatar kvinnor
• Fredrik Nilsson – 438 dagar, Bron, Simon och ekerna, Upp till kamp
• Why? Possibly good
• Seen: 5 November 2023                   

            Rille (J Johansson), fat, sullen, nerdy, bullied, and good at ping pong. Erik (H Johansson), his little brother, cute, popular, athletic, sometimes nice to Rille but mean to their mother (Nurmi), also fat with dreams of opening her own beauty salon and an old, fat, oddball lover (Nilsson) who owns a sports shop. The boys hate him. Their father (Staykov) works on an oil rig and his annual week-long visits are always a disappointment because he’s a drunk and a liar.

       It’s not very engaging, even with the banal family secret. What I like best is the northern Swedish winter and the five cats.

       But after a while I find that the film and characters have grown on me. I think I’ll want to see it again. A keeper, after all.

 3 ½ * of 5