Jonny Vang
Encyclopedia
Jonny Vang is a Norwegian film from 2003. It was directed by Jens Lien
after a script by Ståle Stein Berg. The music was composed by the band Calexico. The plot is a drama-comedy from the Norwegian countryside, where the protagonist Jonny Vang is frustrated in his efforts to prosper as a breeder of earthworms. The film was reasonably well received by critics, and was awarded an Amanda Award
for "Best Actor" in 2003.
s. His ambitions to expand are thwarted by the bank manager (Trond Brænne), who will not lend him the necessary money. He lives with his mother Brita (Marit Andreassen) and her difficult friend Odvar (Bjørn Sundquist). On top of all of this, he is also carrying out an affair with Tuva (Laila Goody) the wife of his best friend Magnus (Fridtjov Såheim). Things get even worse when an unknown assailant knocks him over the head with a shovel.
's debut as a feature film director. Lien had previously established himself as a director of television advertisements. He had also been represented twice at the Cannes International Film Festival, with short films. He described the film as "a drama comedy, a juicy story, life, lust and rock 'n' roll. It's a dead serious comedy."
Lien originally considered Hennie too young for the role, but the actor was persistent, and finally persuaded the director that he was the right man for the part. The movie, where the story takes place in Gudbrandsdal
en, was filmed in the town of Fåvang
.
To get Calexico's permission to use their music in the film, Lien had to travel to the U.S.
in person. He brought with him an unfinished version of the film, but the only place where he could play the VHS
tape was at a nearby rental store, where 30 customers joined the band and the director, who had to simultaneously translate the plot. The music is a mix of traditional American and Mexican
music, and is gathered from the band's albums Spoke
(1997), The Black Light
(1998) and Hot Rail
(2000).
gave the film four out of six points, and commended it for good scenes, yet found it somewhat predictable. The reviewer mentioned Calexico's soundtrack as one of the best parts of the movie. Aftenposten
s Per Haddal
awarded five out of six points, and believed the movie was a well functional comedy. Also Haddal commended the choice of music.
International reviewers were less enthusiastic. Variety
complimented the actors' performances, but found that the movie did not "have a great deal of drive or momentum". The reviewer at the Swedish
website "DVD forum" jokingly said that he laughed often, so he hoped it was a comedy. Generally content with the movie, he found Hennie's performance somewhat "theatrical".
Aksel Hennie was awarded an Amanda Award
for "Best Actor" for his effort in the film in 2003. The movie was also nominated in the category "Best Film", but lost out to Bent Hamer
's Salmer fra kjøkkenet. Hennie also won the "Best Actor" award at the Brussels European Film Festival.
Jens Lien
Jens Lien is a Norwegian film director. He graduated from the London International Film School in 1993. His graduation project was the short film "Montana", that was featured at the short film festival in Grimstad that year. in 1995 he again participated in this festival, with the entry "Mitt...
after a script by Ståle Stein Berg. The music was composed by the band Calexico. The plot is a drama-comedy from the Norwegian countryside, where the protagonist Jonny Vang is frustrated in his efforts to prosper as a breeder of earthworms. The film was reasonably well received by critics, and was awarded an Amanda Award
Amanda (award)
The Amanda Award is an award given annually at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund, Norway, to promote and improve Norwegian film. The award originated in 1985, and has since 2005 been exclusively a film award...
for "Best Actor" in 2003.
Plot
Jonny Vang (Aksel Hennie) lives on the Norwegian countryside, where he is trying to establish a business breeding earthwormEarthworm
Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of Oligochaeta in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female...
s. His ambitions to expand are thwarted by the bank manager (Trond Brænne), who will not lend him the necessary money. He lives with his mother Brita (Marit Andreassen) and her difficult friend Odvar (Bjørn Sundquist). On top of all of this, he is also carrying out an affair with Tuva (Laila Goody) the wife of his best friend Magnus (Fridtjov Såheim). Things get even worse when an unknown assailant knocks him over the head with a shovel.
Cast
- Jonny Vang - Aksel Hennie
- Tuva - Laila Goody
- Magnus - Fridtjov Såheim
- Brita - Marit Andreassen
- Odvar - Bjørn Sundquist
- Police Officer - Nils Vogt
- Gunnar - Anders Ødegård
- Helene - Silje Salomonsen
- Bank manager - Trond Brænne
Production
Jonny Vang was director Jens LienJens Lien
Jens Lien is a Norwegian film director. He graduated from the London International Film School in 1993. His graduation project was the short film "Montana", that was featured at the short film festival in Grimstad that year. in 1995 he again participated in this festival, with the entry "Mitt...
's debut as a feature film director. Lien had previously established himself as a director of television advertisements. He had also been represented twice at the Cannes International Film Festival, with short films. He described the film as "a drama comedy, a juicy story, life, lust and rock 'n' roll. It's a dead serious comedy."
Lien originally considered Hennie too young for the role, but the actor was persistent, and finally persuaded the director that he was the right man for the part. The movie, where the story takes place in Gudbrandsdal
Gudbrandsdal
The Gudbrandsdalen is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Oppland. The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer at Mjøsa, extending 230 km toward Romsdal...
en, was filmed in the town of Fåvang
Fåvang
Fåvang is a village and parish in the municipality of Ringebu, in Oppland county, Norway.-History:Fåvang is located in south of the valley and traditional district of Gudbrandsdalen, 51 kilometers north of Lillehammer...
.
To get Calexico's permission to use their music in the film, Lien had to travel to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in person. He brought with him an unfinished version of the film, but the only place where he could play the VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
tape was at a nearby rental store, where 30 customers joined the band and the director, who had to simultaneously translate the plot. The music is a mix of traditional American and Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
music, and is gathered from the band's albums Spoke
Spoke (album)
Spoke is the 1997 debut album of Calexico, an indie rock band from Arizona.-Track listing:# "Low Expectations" – 2:37# "Mind The Gap" – 0:52# "Mazurra" – 1:46# "Sanchez" – 3:18...
(1997), The Black Light
The Black Light
The Black Light is the second studio album of Americana / indie rock band Calexico. It was released May 19, 1998 on Quarterstick.- Track listing :# "Gypsy's Curse" – 4:17# "Fake Fur" – 2:36# "The Ride " – 3:08...
(1998) and Hot Rail
Hot Rail
Hot Rail is the third studio album of Arizona indie rock band Calexico. It was released May 9, 2000 on Quarterstick Records.-Track listing:# "El Picador" – 3:14# "Ballad of Cable Hogue" – 3:29...
(2000).
Reception
Jonny Vang was reasonably well received by the Norwegian press. The newspaper DagbladetDagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
gave the film four out of six points, and commended it for good scenes, yet found it somewhat predictable. The reviewer mentioned Calexico's soundtrack as one of the best parts of the movie. Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
s Per Haddal
Per Haddal
Per Haddal is a Norwegian film critic.Born in Levanger, he has an M.A. in English. He started working for the newspaper Vårt Land, where he remained from 1969 to 1978. He also worked freelance for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation in the period 1975 to 1987. In 1978 he became the main film...
awarded five out of six points, and believed the movie was a well functional comedy. Also Haddal commended the choice of music.
International reviewers were less enthusiastic. Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
complimented the actors' performances, but found that the movie did not "have a great deal of drive or momentum". The reviewer at the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
website "DVD forum" jokingly said that he laughed often, so he hoped it was a comedy. Generally content with the movie, he found Hennie's performance somewhat "theatrical".
Aksel Hennie was awarded an Amanda Award
Amanda (award)
The Amanda Award is an award given annually at the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund, Norway, to promote and improve Norwegian film. The award originated in 1985, and has since 2005 been exclusively a film award...
for "Best Actor" for his effort in the film in 2003. The movie was also nominated in the category "Best Film", but lost out to Bent Hamer
Bent Hamer
Bent Hamer is a film director, writer and producer, born in Sandefjord, Norway in 1956.-Biography:Hamer studied film theory and literature at the University of Stockholm and the Stockholm Film School. In addition to his feature films, he has written and directed a number of short films and...
's Salmer fra kjøkkenet. Hennie also won the "Best Actor" award at the Brussels European Film Festival.