Beatles

Based on one of the all-time bestsellers in Norway, BEATLES is a vibrant, superbly-acted, coming-of-age tale about four mop-tops on the not-terribly-mean streets of Oslo. Like Liverpool and everywhere else in the 60s, Norway is undergoing radical political change. Teens are rejecting uptight morality and marching to the beat of Sgt. Pepper. Kim, Gunnar, Ola, and Seb become John, Paul, George, and Ringo, wear matching outfits, and rack their adolescent brains for a suitably English name for their band. Soon the Snafus have local gigs, even though they can’t really play instruments. Between numbers, the boys try to make sense of their world of unrequited and sometimes inappropriate love, interfering families, booze-soaked parties, and public embarrassment. Looks like they’re about ready for adulthood. It was a huge coup for the BEATLES producers to get clearance to use the original recordings in their entirety. Paul and Ringo’s trust was well-placed; this movie is one for the ages. (In Norwegian with subtitles) – B.B.