G (1983) User Reviews

A moral with a story, instead of a story with a moral

[stefan-144 · 4/10 · 8 January 2003]

G stands for 'gemenskap', which is Swedish for fellowship, the feeling of togetherness. This is the message of the movie - together we can help each other stay on the right path. Cute, but not exactly revolutionary news - not to mention its omitting of how difficult it actually is to feel togetherness, when things get complicated.

But in this movie, nothing is allowed to get complicated. We meet a few teens with very teenish problems, in their most over-simplified form, and see how they first succumb to different kinds of temptation, but later - yes, with the help of each other - manage to get free of them. It's all as easy as bread-in-a-box.

Of course, such simplified dilemmas and solutions function only with a moral which is just as simple - and it needs to be intolerant and conformist. Silly, too.

The film was a huge hit with teens, when first released - although it tried to teach them to 'stay in school' in every way. Critics despised it, for good reasons. Now, time has kindly been transporting it toward oblivion.

But one anomaly remains to be considered with this movie: With such an uncool moral oozing from it, how could it be a hit with the kids? Was it because the adult world expressed its contempt for it? That, teens can always relate to.

"G" - The shortest name of a movie?

[merrywater · 5/10 · 2 January 2015]

Being Swedish, I believe I should review more native pictures. I tend to refrain from watching them, but I saw this one. It's actually a true gem from my college years.

It's a pretentious attempt at some kind of a prescriptive documentary. Probably an original Scandinavian genre, no doubt.

Despite obvious shortcomings, it's immensely entertaining, mostly due to the soundtrack, and due to some of the acting efforts. The almost iconic singer Magnus Uggla plays a formidable cliché type gay. His tête-à-tête chats with the pretty lead are so unnatural, they seem simply to be badly cut.

The director was infamous for his private relations with the young actors of his pictures.

A minor and peculiar detail: the fictive punk band of this picture is called "Barn" which means "Child(ren)". There is a poster showing the name written with a reversed capital "R" (= the Russian letter "ya"): "BAЯN". This could have been a neat hint to the band Korn's logo "KoЯn", if it wasn't for the fact that Korn was formed ten years after this movie...

An unintentional laughing stock of a lost time period... but entertaining being so!

[ozjeppe · 3/10 · 28 November 2012]

This was a huge hit among teens at my school in 1983 when I was 16. I never got around to see it back then – and it's a strangely fascinating feeling watching this hybrid of a teen movie/music video tale trying to come across as serious, today. We learn – following 3 male teen buddies after school graduation – spelled-out IN CAPITALS how frustrating teen love is, how bad smoking pot is and how low it is to sell out and let your rock band friends down.

The tone works fine for about 20 minutes into it. From then on, the embarrassing scenes just keep-a-coming. Dialog and performances run from workable to simply atrocious. Former legend rock singer Uggla hams his gay club owner up like he was in a bushwhack farce – and IS fun – but was this seriously director Hildebrand's intention?

The nicest thing I can say (apart from a few nice songs on its soundtrack) is that the blue-eyed ambition of a lost time period has an almost endearing cuteness to it... and its amateurish awkwardness (and cheap production value) IS indeed highly entertaining being so, and keeps off my lower rating. Therefore it's also one of the unintentionally funniest movies I've seen. Several bits had me literally roaring with laughter. I simply MUST end my review by ranking them in laughing-order:

1. The "Nattens dockor" video by the pop group Freestyle. Costume, make-up, lyrics and choreography in this have to be seen to be believed – Youtube it! Takes hilarious awfulness to a whole new level as Wahlgren fondles female mannequins' breasts.

2. Wahlgren and Örn slow-dance, run (completely dressed in white!) over summer lawns and skinny-dip in a public pool to the tunes of "I'll find my way home" by Jon & Vangelis. Add the after-sex song duet in bed by the two lovers, and you will NOT a thicker chunk of teenage-love-cheese to cut for the whole decade! The uncensored nudity is refreshing, though and would be unthinkable today (sadly enough).

3. Skröder and his mother Fröling share a reconciling moment on the bedside after he has cut both the dope (just like that!), his long hair... and donned orange 80's pastel pants! The end dialog about having tea and honey toast sounds like something a 9-year old could have written – it's THAT bad!

4. Håkansson's end song from the stage as he re-unites with his old band; its moral-lesson-lyrics directed at his friends on the dance floor... pricelessly horrible.

3 out of 10 from Ozjeppe

Cult!!

[aalen · 16 March 2004]

Hej, I know this film is extra x-tra cheese, but I love it!

It is a trip back to the 80's. This film is cult defined. The clothing and the music is sooo good. Olle Ljungström in the band "Nümberg 47"-just the name makes me laugh inside, is hilarious as the "fascistic" band member.

Someone commented that the film is a too simple view of life as a teenager, I couldn't agree more! However I don't see this as being negative, rather the stereotypes are sometime so stupid that you can only laugh (and laugh good) at them.

I also enjoy all the Stockholm footage (Kolingsborg, Vanadisbadet mm), this however I guess is mostly if you have lived in Stockholm otherwise it's nothing special.

Absolutely hilarious and so freaking Swedish!

[com-numb-pf · 10/10 · 11 July 2020]

I gave this movie a 10, just because it is so bad that seems it was shot like that in purpose. A hidden gem in horrible movies. So glad I watched it!

lame film, great music

[jimpe · 4 June 2004]

Although G is a lame film it has great music. I think more of it as a music film than a generation film. My favourite scenes are of course the live performances with Reeperbahn (as Nürnberg 47, an unsympathetic and decadent nationalist band) and Nasa who at the time still made wonderfully simple electronic pop with Swedish lyrics.

Among the best scenes are the settings in concert hall of Kolingsborg (as the Club G, run by the sleazy character wonderfully played by Magnus Uggla) where I've been many times since which gives the film an extra point for nostalgia. The place is about to be torn down i the rebuilding of Slussen in Stockholm that is about to begin within short.

Another memorable scene is the live show with Nürnberg 47 at Ljusdals Folkets Park and the backstage scene where Reeperbahn plays Venus In Furs while the members are occupied with the groupies, a key-scene in which Sebastian decides this is not the life for him.

Last but no least the performances of Barn with Niels Jensen are great in their New Romantic / Punk crossover style. The soundtrack of course is a given part of any good 80's record collection!

It'll never change...

[orbotuss · 28 December 2002]

being 15 now is not very different to being 15 20 years ago. always the same struggles... from what I understand, this movie was a great success in sweden when it came out [most memorable for Magnus Uggla's excentric character]and kids rushed to see it. if I dare, I might compare this movie to lukas moodyssons 'fucking åmål'.

it is not great, but it's a really good teenmovie.

If you like the 80's, you'll love this movie!

[blenda_lovelace · 15 March 2002]

If you like the fashion and the music of the 80's, you'll love G! It doesn't get more 80's than this.

Another reason to see this movie is Olle Ljungströms great synth cover on Velvet Underground's "Venus in furs" (written by Lou Reed). It's fantastic!