Cool And Crazy review

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

A documentary about an elderly Norwegian male voice choir might not sound like a recipe for box-office gold, but Knut Eric Jensen's Cool And Crazy has been a smash hit in Norway and a festival favourite across Europe.

Set in the remote northern fishing village of Berlevag, this subtle, respectful film intersperses interviews with the choir's alfresco musical recitals. The group's diverse characters include a wheelchair-bound conductor, a sprightly nonagenarian, a reformed drug addict, a staunch communist and a phlegmatic fisherman, yet what unites them is their love of singing and their stoicism in the face of life's endless vicissitudes. For despite appalling weather conditions, economic downturns and personal bereavements, these sturdy men have never abandoned their values of community, friendship and solidarity.

Travelling to a concert in Murmansk, they're moved to tears not just by the giant war memorials, but by the sight of the polluted landscapes. As one of them laments, "We're supposed to love the land and we treat it like this."

More info

Available platformsMovie
Less

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.