A grey-haired man mourns the death of his beloved cat, as its lifeless body lays stiff in the snow. The man goes back into his house and, in an attempt to lure the fox that killed his pet, sets up a dynamite-strapped hot dog treat. The bait is placed outside. The fox wanders towards the treat. The explosion booms. Cut to: Allan, the grey-haired man, locked up in a nursing home. And so begins Allan’s journey as the 100-year-old man who, quite literally, climbed out of the window in his room and disappeared.
Based off of the 2009 book of the same name by Jonas Jonasson, director Felix Herngren brings to the screen this larger than life comedy of Allan Karlsson. Allan (Robert Gustafsson), who, on his 100th birthday decides to escape the old folks’ home through the window, starts a new adventure by booking a one-way ticket to a small town with no destination in mind. A diagnosed pyromaniac following the deaths of his mother and father, he is a very independent man whose talent and genuine interest in the field of explosions has lead him down a windy and colorful road.
Not one to be far from trouble, Allan finds himself leaving behind a trail of chaos wherever he goes. After escaping the nursing home, Allan gets himself caught up in a drug ring, murder, and a suitcase carrying $50 million. And that’s only the beginning. After accidentally intercepting the suitcase of cash, Allan gets an unfortunate following: the police from the nursing home try to track him down, as well as the intended receptors of the money, and so begins this “geriatric goose chase” that finds hilarity at every turn.
The cartoonish jokes are juxtaposed with dark humor, making for a very unpredictable yet engaging watch.
The humor comes from Allan’s Mr. Magoo moments, even with his slow-moving mannerisms, he manages to avoid accidents by mere seconds. Allan’s life is quite literally a series of happy accidents. The jobs he has held as a young man, the friends he meets along his journey, and even his health and well-being are completely determined by fate.
100-Year-Old Man is just shy of two hours and is every the bit engaging. Most of the film is in Swedish with English subtitles, but there are moments when a voice from the point of view of Allan narrates over the scene. Where this could easily come across as a cheap or tacky device, the voice–over is a necessary and enjoyable effort.
Almost every other scene is a flashback to Allan’s life, giving the audience context to the character and chronicling his series of misfortunate events. The soundtrack is reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film, and the filmmaking style is very similar as well. The cartoonish jokes are juxtaposed with dark humor, making for a very unpredictable yet engaging watch.
Actor Robert Gustafsson lives up to his description as “the funniest man in Sweden” with his portrayal of Allan. Gustafsson plays Allan both as a young and old man– the use of makeup and special effects is also something to take note of as he is almost unrecognizable as the two. His line delivery and relationships with the cast of characters he meets along the way are equally as witty and sentimental.
Even the title alone, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, should give audiences a good idea about what type of film this is.With a talented cast and a script full of geezer hijinks, this film is a very funny, heartwarming, suspenseful, and above all else, an entertaining watch. It left me wanting to read the book as well. In the words of Allan Karlsson, “Life is what it is, and does what it does,” and nothing has ever been wiser or more clearly stated from a 100-year-old man.
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared opens at Laemmle’s Royal Theatre in West L.A., Playhouse 7 in Pasadena, Town Center 5 in Encino and in San Diego, Atlanta and New York City this Friday, followed by a national release.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-7VM1QOrI0
