Hope

Overall, this is a dramatic and heavy story with a surprising touch of romance along the way.  Performances are undoubtedly praiseworthy, primarily from leading actress Andrea Bræin Hovig.  For the most part, the pacing is excellent as our leads encounter many hurdles and challenges, which are all generally unexpected and touching. Hope is undoubtedly a heartfelt, enjoyable story, but I can't deny that moment from the third act felt somewhat forced and draining.  This film will undoubtedly evoke several emotions in its audiences, and the talent-filled movie will leave a positive and lasting impression on your heart.

Good film, probably more so for an older audience for whom this will resonate. Ostensibly about a terminal cancer diagnosis its real subject matter is how we maintain and negotiate long term partnering in a world of free choice and rampant individualism. My only reservations are its length and its syrupy final section.

I know this movie was about more than the surgery, and it would have decreased the quality of the movie if the story played out, but dangit, I wanted to know! Great film, quality acting, Skaarsgard is brilliant as usual. My first exposure to Andrea Bræin Hovig, does extremely well as the lead, beautiful too! Definitely worth the two hours.

Andrea Bræin Hovig and Stellan Skarsgård elevate a story that's been told a million times. The duo play a married couple that has a major obstacle thrown their way. Maria Sødahl's film script is balanced and is based on her own experiences. For that reason, it's authentic and engaging. The ending is fairly unique which may rub viewers the wrong way. The cancer genre can miss the point, but this film is hopeful and filled with humor. It touches on a multitude of emotions. This Norwegian film might not be for everyone, but the leads are so tremendous you can get lost in their performance. Final Score 7.3/10

A crisis can change a relationship overnight, as is the case for a couple that has been together for a long time but has grown apart over the years. The ordeal offers them an opportunity for reconciliation and redemption, but, most of all, it affords the possibility for the rebirth of much-needed hope. So it is when a middle-aged mother and professional choreographer receives a diagnosis of a terminal brain tumor, prompting her and her theater producer partner to reevaluate the nature of their relationship. It's a difficult process, full of revelations, the surfacing of brutal honesty and the rekindling of romantic feelings that have long been sidelined by other priorities. Norwegian writer-director Maria Sodahl's third feature explores what this couple undergoes when faced with such trying circumstances, a story effectively brought to life by the film's insightful screenplay and the fine performances of Andrea Braein Hovig and Stellan Skarsgard. While the picture can be a heartbreaking watch, it also illustrates that, when there's life, there's hope, a sentiment aptly and succinctly reflected in this offering's simple but appropriate title.