Kitchen Stories Time: 6 and 8:30 p.m. Date: Tonight through Sunday Place: Davies Theatre, Davies Center Cost: $1 |
A 2003 comedy that is equal parts of Norway and Sweden, “Kitchen Stories” reflects on the nature of observational research and what value it truly holds. However, the true comedy lies in the satirical nature of the Norwegian and Swedish differences as well as some funny situations of hostility.
Set in the 1950s, the Home Research Institute hopes to successfully map a single male’s perfect kitchen based on the observations of such men. However, as several of the researchers eventually realize, “How can we understand each other if we don’t communicate?”
Folke (Tomas Norstrom) is a hired Swedish observer sent to Norway to track the kitchen habits of a farmer named Isak (Joachim Calmeyer). Folke brings along with him a small trailer to sleep in and a high chair resembling that of a lifeguard for Isak’s kitchen. Though Isak was a volunteer for this study, Folke finds some extremely hostile situations that create all-out slapstick comedy for the audience.
Isak, who can receive radio broadcasts from his mouth during the right circumstances, agreed to be a part of the study if he was to be given a horse in return. However, when the red horse made of wood and meant for a child comes to his door, he’s not too pleased.
When finally allowed into the house, Folke has to deal with Isak keeping the kitchen lights off, not preparing any of his food there and placing lines of laundry within the kitchen so it’s impossible to observe anything. Isak even goes so far as to move his entire kitchen to his bedroom so he can have privacy and drill holes in the floor so he can spy on the researcher.
The study that successfully tracked the housewife’s habits created a perfect kitchen already, but this new audience proved far too tricky. The rules were to come and go at leisure, observe and track the floor plan movements of the kitchen owner and to have no interference what-so-ever in daily routines.
In order to properly observe his subject and get to know him, Folke abandons all rules of objective research. In a ridiculous play on this abandonment when Folke gets sick one day, Isak does all of his observations for him. However, when their friendship starts to take hold, Isak’s friend Grant – who saves his hair after getting it cut to fix old dolls for children – starts to get jealous and behave like a 10-year-old girl.
In the funniest scene of the entire film, Isak describes his room filled with pepper. Years earlier, Isak’s father had invested in pepper because it was cheap and Isak believes that one day he’ll sell it for lots of money because it’s the “king of spices.”
The best use of comedy in this film that is otherwise quite dry, is the tongue-in-cheek way the Swedes and Norse are portrayed. The Swedes are scientific and positivists, while the Norse are laid- back. In an ongoing joke, Swedes discuss driving on the left, or “correct,” side of the road because it’s much safer. Folke even needs to vomit after driving in Norway on the right side. Isak also comments to Folke in his observational method by suggesting they were also “natural observers during the war.”
This official selection at Cannes, acclaimed for its comedy, will more than likely disappoint those expecting big laughs. However, the laughs come largely from a silent film perspective with funny situations and gestures as opposed to phrases and outbursts. This film is really a sleeper for male bonding film and has some great insight on research and driving etiquette.