Lasse Aaberg Movies

In this Swedish comedy and satire, a gentle and shy man is fired from his job by an obnoxious yuppie. When that same yuppie challenges him to learn golf in a week's time, the beleaguered man seeks the help of a friend, who takes him to Scotland to learn the game in its spiritual homeland. Along the way, he not only picks up the basics but falls in love with the daughter of a Scottish golf pro. Meanwhile, his path crosses that of some of the snobbiest and most class-conscious individuals ever to have teed up for a round of golf. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

The understated farce of director-writer Lasse Aberg occupies center stage in this take-off on a Swiss ski vacation, with all the usual types on and off the slopes. This time the recalcitrant hero Helmer Ohlsson (Aberg) takes a disparate group along to Verbier, Switzerland for a little skiing. Herded around by the usual dictatorial tour guide, the group still manages to encounter enough fun and games to amuse everyone, while any confrontations inevitably lead to manipulative baddies getting their dues. Even the shy, bumbling Helmer seems to come out ahead in this sequel to the highly successful Package Tour -- he actually gets the woman he wants. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Marilyn Jordan (Susan Anspach), an American-born housewife, mother, and socialite living in Sweden, is crumbling under the weight of her own existence. She deeply resents her husband Martin's (Erland Josephson) frequent holiday absences and his indifferent attitude toward their two children ("If they are going to grow up in today's world," he admits, "it's about time they faced the fact that nobody keeps promises anymore"). Moreover, Marilyn's eccentric father (who believes he is Buffalo Bill and fires off guns in the house to prove it) and her children -- who hatch an outrageous plan to set up a dating service for senior citizens -- start to drive her completely around the bend. Marilyn feels herself domestically imprisoned -- encased in a bell jar. Her subsequent behavior grows not simply eccentric, but irrational and then comically outrageous. She cooks wiener schnitzel for the entire family, but eats it all herself; unsuccessfully attempts to poison the family beagle; and -- convinced that insects are attacking her during the night -- showers the plant above her bed with bug repellent, much to Martin's consternation. Finally, irritated by Martin's sexual indifference to her, Marilyn manages to get his attention in a last, desperate move by setting his bed on fire late one night. Deeply concerned, Martin consults psychologist Dr. Pazardjian (Per Oscarsson), who does little to help Marilyn and (indeed) turns out to be even nuttier than any of the members of the Jordan family. Via a comic security mix-up, Marilyn later becomes stranded at the Stockholm airport and hitches a ride with a band of horny Yugoslavian immigrants celebrating the new year; they take her to their ZanziBar nightclub for a couple of days, where she begins to break out of her domestic prison by engaging in a torrid extramarital affair with randy Slavic zookeeper Montenegro and by performing as a one-time chaunteuse on-stage. Eventually, Marilyn's family beckons for her to return -- but her brush with independence has made her a very different woman, indeed. Montenegro marked controversial writer/director Dusan Makavejev's English-language debut, and earned widespread critical raves for Anspach's career-defining performance. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Sweden's reputation for military neutrality has been maintained by its civilian army -- an army composed largely of civilians who are required to do several weeks service in the military each year. In this comedy, these civilian-soldiers are as bewildered by military life as the military is by them. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi