Have you ever heard a Norwegian man say the F word?

It’s worth the ticket price alone to see what critics are calling the best Norwegian film in 25 years, “Elling” (R, First Look Pictures).

Starring Per Christian Ellefsen, who won the best actor award for this role in the 2001 Norwegian movie awards, and Sven Nordin, “Elling” is the story of two men who become best friends after their release from a two-year stay at a mental hospital.

The character, Elling (Ellefsen), starts off the movie by referring to himself as a “mama’s boy.” Spending the entirety of his middle-aged life with his mother, he comes to rely on her for his every emotional need.

-Following her death, Elling suffers a complete nervous breakdown and is forced into the nut house.

Unable to convey the simplest of emotions, or perform everyday tasks such as making telephone calls, Elling soon learns how to lighten up by following the crude examples of his oafish but loveable roommate, Kjell Bjarne (Nordin).

Directed by Petter Naess, “Elling” is similar to the French hit “Amelie” in that the eccentricities of the main characters create a whimsical atmosphere throughout the film that transcends language barriers.

Shown in Norwegian with English subtitles, the actions and expressions of the cast speak to all willing to listen.

The majority of the film is seen through the eyes of Elling as he struggles to find normalcy in his new life. One memorable scene focuses on his character as he tries to carve a notch into the urban Norwegian poetry scene.

Dressed in a dark overcoat and unnecessary sunglasses, Elling sits on a bar stool and watches poets perform. When a particularly graphic poet steps onstage, the camera zooms in on Elling’s face as he becomes more and more horrified at what he is hearing. The scene climaxes when the disgusted Elling lets out a yell and runs to the bathroom to throw up.

While the plot of “Elling” is interesting and original, the movie is noteworthy because of the amazing performance carried off by Ellefsen.

Though the actor is clearly no spring chicken, the emotion he puts into his character provides a boyish innocence that prompts viewers to care about what happens to him in the end.

Comedic and dramatic at the same time, “Elling” proves that not all films about crazy people have to be dark and depressing.