Switch (2007)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Mikkel	Sebastian Stigar
Nina	Ida Elise Broch	½
Tommen	Peter Stormare	½
Gaute	Espen Klouman-Høiner
Ann Katrin	Hilde Lyrån
Aslak	Sindre Tveit

Review

If Norwegian film has been on the up the past few years, Ole Martin Hafsmo's directorial debut Switch is a massive setback. It has all the traits previously associated with the Norwegian film industry: lacklustre acting, phoney dialogue and a substandard script. The diagnosis is not as much lack of professionalism as lack of talent - which in many ways is less uplifting. Peter Stormare has been quoted as saying the reason he chose to do Switch was that he was impressed by the script. It must have been a feeble period of bedside reading for the Swede. He sports a wild beard and an outright horrific "svorsk" accent for his role as Tommen, as he competes with the young lead Sebastian Stiger in delivering the least authentic lines. The film's easily best aspect is the snowboard action (containing stunts done by skilled Norwegian snowboarders such as Per Iver Grimsrud and Kim Rune Hansen), but there is no way they can divert the attention from the hopelessly naïve and clichéd script. There are beautiful scenic shots from the Western Norwegian parish Voss. Unfortunately, none of the actors can boast a Voss dialect. Poor effort.