A Man Called Ove
Music Box Films | Release Date: September 30, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
70
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews
Positive:
18
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
RogerEbert.comOdie HendersonSep 30, 2016
All movies are manipulative by default; the effectiveness of that manipulation is the more valid measurement to inspect. On that scale, A Man Called Ove is a morbidly funny and moving success. Read full review
83
Entertainment WeeklyDevan CogganSep 30, 2016
Holm’s adaptation is a darkly funny, tragic, and ultimately heartwarming tearjerker about the life of one lonely but extraordinary man. Read full review
80
CineVueMatthew AndersonJun 27, 2017
As well as ruminating on grief and the impalpable, incomprehensible sense of loss in the wake of a lifelong love, A Man Called Ove gives credence to the notion that there is much more to any individual than merely a name, that outer appearance and behaviour belie an unknown past. Read full review
80
EmpireDavid HughesJun 19, 2017
Holm’s well-judged adaptation of the bestseller keeps the maudlin to a minimum and plays the black comedy just right. A strong contender for feel-good film of the year. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzOct 13, 2016
We’ve seen crusty old geezers with hearts of gold plenty of times in films. Here we see how this one got that way, and thanks to Lassgard and Holm, it’s a journey we care about taking. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Barry HertzFeb 16, 2017
A Man Called Ove hits all of the genre’s sweet spots, without ever tipping into the saccharine. Most of the credit can be thrown Rolf Lassgard’s way, as the actor gives Ove a humanity, and humility, that is expertly crafted and genuine. Read full review
75
Washington PostStephanie MerryOct 20, 2016
We’ve seen these poignant lessons before: Ove is destined to learn that he can’t do it all on his own and that life is still worth living. Yet the moving twists and turns of the love story and the bright comedy elevate an otherwise familiar story line. Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreOct 18, 2016
It’s also overlong and sentimental. But it’s a vivid, warm and amusing portrait of a real man, someone whose life began in darkness, experienced the light of a great love and has collapsed into a pit of self-pity. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonOct 13, 2016
Though our put-upon hero’s gradual realization that he has much to live for is obvious from the get-go, it still is a pleasant journey from pawn to king — spiritually speaking, of course. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerTirdad DerakhshaniOct 6, 2016
A charming, warm-hearted Swedish dramedy about the redemptive power of neighborly love. Read full review
75
The Seattle TimesJohn HartlSep 29, 2016
A Man Called Ove has some tear-jerking moments, but the film is so carefully designed — with long, circular takes that seem to surround the main characters at crucial fateful points — that technique often triumphs over sentimentality. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsSep 29, 2016
Sweet and flinty in roughly equal measure, the movie's a big hit in its native country. Read full review
70
Village VoiceNick SchagerSep 28, 2016
A Man Called Ove — preaching tolerant togetherness as the key to happiness — earns its sentimentality by striking a delicate balance between barking-mad comedy and syrupy melodrama. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesMichael RechtshaffenSep 28, 2016
Incorporating fluid flashbacks and snippets of narration that refreshingly serve to enhance rather than distract, director-writer Hannes Holm maintains a gentle, lyrical flow while coaxing fine performances from a diverse cast. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleSteve DavisNov 2, 2016
The last ten minutes or so are heartwarming to the point of schmaltz. Even the adept Lassgård, as the old fogey version of Ove, can’t make this increasingly feel-good schtick stick. Read full review
67
The PlaylistGary GarrisonSep 29, 2016
It’s hard to resist the joy of the film, the unbridled heart, and Ove’s tremendous, hilarious hatred for all the idiots of the world. Read full review
63
Boston GlobePeter KeoughOct 13, 2016
Lassgård won’t let you off easy: A scene in which Ove weeps hopelessly before the magnitude of his loneliness will bring tears to the eyes of anyone who has suffered a loss. His Ove is a man indeed. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineKeith WatsonSep 26, 2016
It's emotionally manipulative, but its two leads find a core of humanity even in the most calculating plot machinations. Read full review
60
Total FilmJames MottramAug 11, 2017
Despite winning work from the lead, it’s a tame, feelgood effort from writer-director Hannes Holm. Academy bait. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenOct 6, 2016
Starting out with a bracing, off-kilter wryness, Ove moves steadily, and disappointingly, toward the crowd-pleasing center. Read full review
50
The New York TimesGlenn KennySep 29, 2016
Good-hearted stuff, to be sure, but mainly of interest to lovers of cinematic comfort food. Read full review
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