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Kitchen Stories

Play trailer Poster for Kitchen Stories PG Released Jan 15, 2003 1h 35m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
90% Tomatometer 72 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In the 1950s, a team of Swedish researchers plans to revolutionize the home kitchen. After observing the modern housewife, they set their sights on typical bachelors. Scientist Folke (Tomas Norström) is sent to a rural Norwegian town, where he tracks the kitchen behavior of odd single man Isak (Joachim Calmeyer). Folke is under strict orders to avoid personal interactions with his subject at all costs, but despite warnings from his superiors, he strikes up a strange camaraderie with Isak.
Kitchen Stories

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Critics Consensus

By turns touching and funny, this Norwegian import offers quietly absorbing commentary on modern life and friendship.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Rainer New York Magazine/Vulture A prime piece of comic anthropology. Aug 7, 2004 Full Review Steven Rea Philadelphia Inquirer A thoroughly charming oddity. And, in the end, a moving one, too. Rated: 3/4 Apr 22, 2004 Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle An enjoyable study of ridiculous regimentation and a sure balm to anyone who has overdosed on the efficient designs at Ikea. Rated: 3/5 Apr 17, 2004 Full Review Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com The charm and chemistry of the two leads and subtle, wry moments of humor make for an endearing entertainment. Rated: 3/4 Dec 28, 2008 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 4/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Not the sort of film you'd want a steady diet of, but as a change of pace from the ordinary, it's well worth a look. Rated: 4/5 Feb 16, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Camero W Fantastic ! The movie had me clapping and crying at the same time Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/22/24 Full Review Cameron H Phenomenal. I was laughing out loud and then all the sudden feeling all warm and fuzzy. Pass the herring and some bourbon Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/22/24 Full Review Audience Member Best thing since sliced bread. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Our Daily Free Stream: Bent Hamer - Kitchen Stories (german dubbed). Es ist unsere Woche der Norwave, der neuen Welle aus Norwegen. Und einer der ersten Vertreter war Bent Hamer, dessen surreales Gemälde Kitchen Stories heute gestreamt werden kann. Kein Dialog kann darüber hinwegtäuschen, dass Kitchen Stories ein Stummfilm ist. Einfach ein Bild und vielleicht ein Komödie? Falls es eine ist, bewirkt der Blick zurück in ein vergangenes Jahrzehnt, dass wir lachen müssen: In den 50ern versuchte die schwedische Regierung die Bewegungsabläufe von Hausfrauen während der Arbeit zu erforschen. Mit den Forschungsergebnissen wollte man die Technik der Einbauküche optimieren. Bent Hamer aus Norwegen hat diese Idee auf sein Land übertragen. Die schwedischen Feldforscher dringen vor in das entlegene Dorf Landstad, wo ein paar Junggesellen ihre Höfe bewirtschaften. Folke, der Forscher, platziert sich also bei Isak in die Küche und wartet ab. Dabei versucht er, möglichst unsichtbar zu wirken. Er wartet, doch es geschieht nichts... Das ist die Idee von Kitchen Stories: Zwei Männer in einem Raum, füreinander unsichtbar. Ein bisschen Handlung spendiert Bent Hamer, damits ein Kinofilm wird. Es gelingt ihm auch, ein Ende zu finden - und doch: Im Grunde ist Kitchen Stories ein Standbild, dass von uns weitergesponnen werden kann. mehr auf cinegeek.de http://cinegeek.de/news Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie mixes a gentle critique of time-motion studies with Nordic culture in all its stillness and restraint. Worth watching every few years. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a slow burn with lots of little mood swings that take some understanding and patience to grasp under the surface. I enjoyed it the first time I watched it, and even more the next few times. Just nice people trying to work and live there lives in the cold impersonal world of 1950s Scandinavian. SKOL! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Kitchen Stories

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Cast & Crew

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Bent Hamer

Director

Joachim Calmeyer

Isak Bjørvik

Tomas Norström

Folke Nilsson

Bjørn Floberg

Grant

Reine Brynolfsson

Malmberg

Sverre Anker Ousdal

Dr. Jack Zac. Benjaminsen

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Kitchen Stories

Kitchen Stories (2003) Kitchen Stories (2003) Kitchen Stories (2003) Kitchen Stories (2003) Kitchen Stories (2003) Director Bent Hamer on the set of KITCHEN STORIES. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In the 1950s, a team of Swedish researchers plans to revolutionize the home kitchen. After observing the modern housewife, they set their sights on typical bachelors. Scientist Folke (Tomas Norström) is sent to a rural Norwegian town, where he tracks the kitchen behavior of odd single man Isak (Joachim Calmeyer). Folke is under strict orders to avoid personal interactions with his subject at all costs, but despite warnings from his superiors, he strikes up a strange camaraderie with Isak.
Director
Bent Hamer
Producer
Jörgen Bergmark, Arve Figenschow
Screenwriter
Bent Hamer
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Bulbul Films, BOB Film Sweden AB
Rating
PG (Mild Language)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
Norwegian
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 15, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$349.3K
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Surround