An old man sits silently at the table in his countryside kitchen, quietly drinking his coffee as he watches the sunrise across the idyllic valley in which he lives. Despite the simplicity of his life, he feels a crushing loneliness that he wishes to overcome, patiently waiting for some kind of companionship. It’s a familiar scene that we can all imagine quite vividly, particularly because it is one of those classic images that is either used as a positive example of the value of a more simple list or as a sobering reminder of the loneliness epidemic that exists within many communities. However, the reason we’re discussing it now is not directly related to either, but instead as the foundation of Kitchen Stories (Norwegian: Salmer fra Kjøkkenet), in which celebrated filmmaker Bent Hamer (who is responsible for some of the most delightfully irreverent comedies to come out of the region over the years) tells a wonderfully eccentric story about a group of Swedish scientists who set out to the countryside of Norway, where they will be engaging in a study in which they will observe the lives of single men scattered across the country, seated in umpire’s chairs within their kitchen. The official reason is to understand the kitchen habits of these people, but when our protagonist finds that his volunteer is far from congenial at first, he soon learns that there is much more to this study than he initially expected. A charming and lightweight comedy that tackles some serious themes in a manner that is effervescent and delightful, Kitchen Stories is a triumph. Simple but extremely effective, and told with the kind of dedication and attention to detail that we have come to expect from Nordic cinema, the film is a fascinating exploration of the human condition, told from a decidedly more complex, unconventional perspective that is as compelling as it is genuinely insightful. Masterfully constructed and genuine in all of its motivations, Kitchen Stories is a terrific work of comedy and a personal peak for one of Norway’s most intriguing filmmakers.

The initial impetus behind Kitchen Stories is to be a film about a culture clash, Despite often being considered closely related as far as geopolitical matters go, Sweden and Norway have shown themselves to be worlds apart when it comes to culture and traditions, even though there are clear connections that exist between them. This is where the film starts to weave everything together, crafting a delightfully irreverent and off-the-wall story of two individuals from the respective countries forced to occupy the same space for an indefinite amount of time, and then gradually growing to understand one another. Hamer is inspired by various comedic tropes, primarily those of culture clash and the odd couple structure, both of which are heavily factored into this story. The former in particular is most fascinating since those from outside the region would tend to imagine a more consistent sense of allyship between the two countries, but what the director has essentially done here is weave together a film that amplifies the differences between the different nations, in an outrageously funny effort to stir discord between the two protagonists, who could not be more different in terms of background or temperament. One is a dedicated scientist tasked with researching culture and its daily routine, and thus adheres very closely to the methods and finds it difficult to be spontaneous. The other is a grouchy country farmer who is manipulated into participating in a study that will do nothing other than open his home to strangers, whose intentions in the first place are somewhat ambigious. Yet, through occupying the same space for a vast amount of time, the two men manage to set aside their differences and find a common understanding. It’s a simple but elegant approach to comedy that is decidedly not entirely complex or daring, but rather reliable in a very traditional sense.

The appeal of Kitchen Stories comes not only from its premise, which is simple but extremely effective but also from the deeper meaning. At a cursory glance, the film seems effortlessly simple, and no one would necessarily expect it to be some hard-hitting social commentary. However, this more unfurnished approach doesn’t preclude it from having some degree of complexity embedded deep within, which is where some of the most compelling ideas reside. Ultimately, as wacky and entertaining as it may be, the film is quite a heartfelt exploration of friendship. As mentioned at the start, this is a story about loneliness, and the two protagonists are men who are slowly having their souls eroded by a sense of isolation, which makes their eventual collaboration through this study seem somewhat serendipitous. There is a loneliness epidemic that affects many communities, particularly the older members, since it can become quite disheartening to move into any form of retirement, where you intend to live out your days peacefully, but gradually start to see loved ones and friends disappear, and it can influence one’s worldview, turning them into misanthropes or encouraging some kind of retreat from social activities. This is where the film is so unexpectedly moving since it explores what happens when two profoundly lonely people encounter one another and become friends, filling the void in each other’s lives. Obviously, the journey there is filled with hilarious incidents, and the film is primarily a very charming comedy-of-errors, but it ultimately does have a strong set of emotions from which it works, which makes an enormous difference and redefines the film as something far more daring than just a simple comedy.

Considering how much this film oscillates between different moods and emotions, it was important to find some qualities that could be more consistent to prevent it from becoming too unwieldy or difficult to embrace. The two central performances in Kitchen Stories are this precise element, and they’re both spellbinding. Tomas Norström is wonderful as the scientist tasked with the unenviable task of integrating himself into the daily routine of his subject, who is not interested in participating, especially after being misled into thinking that his reward for taking part would be quite different. Joachim Calmeyer is just as terrific as this character, playing him as a pernickety and stubborn old man, but one who possesses a more vulnerable side that gradually reveals itself throughout the film. Kitchen Stories is successful not only because of the strong storyline and impeccable script but also through performances from its cast, which we can consider the root of every merit that we find scattered throughout the film. The two leads have impeccable chemistry, and we can truly believe that they start as these fierce adversaries, neither of whom is particularly thrilled about this project, but who find themselves growing closer as they come to realize that they are essentially two sides of the same coin, both profoundly lonely men seeking companionship, but too afraid to state this as their reason for taking part in this study. Norström and Calmeyer work together splendidly, and take seemingly one-dimensional characters and transform them into well-crafted, meaningful individuals that have many nuances, a few of which form the foundation of this film and its very particular style of storytelling, which is considerably helped along by their spirited performances.

Kitchen Stories is not a complex film and it adheres strictly to a set of principles that allow it to be far more nuanced than it seems to be on the surface. However, it is also one that takes its time to fully make its intentions clear. It’s not a particularly daring film, but it does manage to be quite engaging in terms of some of its underlying themes. Making a film about loneliness is certainly not an easy brief, especially when it tries to avoid being a heavy-handed, melodramatic work that intends to make us feel sympathy and pity for the characters without any substance, but instead, an effervescent comedy-of-errors that takes place in a slightly more absurd version of our world. Employing the distinctive miserabilist humour usually associated with Scandinavian comedies, Hamer crafts a delicate but hilarious exploration of two men as they set aside their differences and embrace one another as unconventional companions, sharing their deepest insecurities and coming to learn about one another in a manner that is organic and genuine. Heartfelt emotions, charming humour and a lot of outrageous scenarios form the foundation for this film, which is a far more enticing exploration of the human condition than it seems to be on the surface, flourishing into a truly captivating and honest comedy about the importance of forming meaningful connections, which often come about in the most unexpected of places, and yet can be just as important as any constructed relationship.