Show Me Love (Fucking Åmål) (1999)
90%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 19 wins & 8 nominations
Show Me Love is a film that captures the essence of first love with honesty, charm, and an uncanny sympathy for all its characters. Moodysson’s debut feature has a grainy, immediate feel that nicely enhances the story’s emotional honesty, a quality that our own popular teen movies have only just begun to embrace. The central performances create a touching relationship, despite the suspicion that the male writer/director’s interest in the subject is slightly dubious, or at least tokenistic. The tentative nature of these couplings and the social environments that could threaten to undermine them suggest that these stories are only beginning, but I’m rooting for both couples anyway. Call me a romantic.
Show Me Love” is a heartwarming and hilarious romantic comedy that will make you feel all the feels. Moodysson’s direction and the performances from the cast are top-notch, especially Dahlstrm and Liljeberg who have amazing chemistry. The film captures the awkwardness and excitement of first love in a way that is both relatable and refreshing. Even though the storyline may not be groundbreaking, the film’s emotional honesty and sincerity make it a must-watch. Plus, the graininess of the film gives it a cool retro vibe that will transport you back to the pre-millennium era. Don’t miss out on this charming teen comedy from Sweden!
Production Company(ies)
Bavaria Film Twin Bros., Productions, Radiant Film GmbH,
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Trollhättan, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby SR
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 29m
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Language(s):Swedish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 3, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 3, 2000
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Alexandra Dahlström, Rebecca Liljeberg, Erica Carlson, Mathias Rust, Stefan Hörberg, Josefin Nyberg, Lars Jönsson, directed by Lukas Moodysson, written by Lukas Moodysson, drama, Swedish, box office gross $220.0K, reviewed by Alyx Vesey, David Ansen, Lisa Alspector, Trevor Johnston, Jeff Millar, Liese Spencer, Michele James, Jas Keimig, Dennis Schwartz, Ken Fox, Jeffrey M Anderson, MPAA rating not mentioned, produced by Lars Jönsson, teenage life, first love, lesbian, small town, coming of age, relationships, alienation, contemporary civilization, Thirteen, Robyn, Cannes Film Festival, Variety, Titanic
Worldwide gross: $219,331
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $402,503
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,795
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 43,893
US/Canada gross: $169,331
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $310,746
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,452
US/Canada opening weekend: $17,110
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $31,399
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,358
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): SEK 9,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Rebecca Liljeberg – Agnes Ahlberg
Erica Carlson – Jessica
Mathias Rust – Johan Hulth
Stefan Hörberg – Markus
Josefin Nyberg – Viktoria
Director(s)
Lukas Moodysson
Writer(s)
Lukas Moodysson
Producer(s)
Lars Jönsson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
19 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (4)
The tentative nature of these couplings and the social environments that could threaten to undermine them suggest that these stories are only beginning. But I’m rooting for both couples anyway. Call me a romantic.
January 11, 2021
Alyx Vesey
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
With honesty, charm and an uncanny sympathy for all its characters, it takes us deep inside the awkward and exhilarating experience of first love.
March 6, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
This powerful, funny romantic drama neatly integrates the dilemmas of a girl in love, the girl she loves, a boy who also loves that girl, and that girl’s sister.
July 18, 2007
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
While the storyline has few surprises, the central performances create a touching relationship, despite the suspicion that the male writer/director’s interest in the subject is slightly dubious, or at least tokenistic.
February 9, 2006
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Dahlstrm and especially Liljeberg are first-rate.
July 21, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Jeff Millar
Houston Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Moodysson’s story may be an old one — the taboo romance between lovers from different ends of the school spectrum — but his sharp script refreshes old themes.
December 2, 2002
Liese Spencer
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
This bittersweet tale will leave you sentimentally reminiscing about past loves and the passion of that first awkward kiss.
May 27, 2022
Michele James
Out Magazine
Even the graininess of the film itself captures a kind of pre-millennium feeling. All to be savored!
February 1, 2022
Jas Keimig
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
A charming teen comedy from Sweden.
February 2, 2012 | Rating: B-
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Lukas Moodyson’s debut feature has a grainy, immediate feel that nicely enhances the story’s emotional honesty — a quality that our own popular teen movies have only just begun to embrace.
July 18, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/4
Ken Fox
TV Guide
A simple, charming, and slightly edgy romance between two teenage girls.
May 26, 2006
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
Nobody can deny the honesty or the outright sincerity this film has.
December 6, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Morgan Miller
Film Threat…
Plot
Åmål is a small insignificant town where nothing ever happens, where the latest trends are out of date when they get there. Young Elin has a bit of a bad reputation when it comes to guys, but the fact is that she is inexperienced in that matter. Another girl in her school, Agnes, is in love with her but is too shy to do anything about it. For a number of reasons, Elin ends up at Agnes’ birthday party as the only guest. They have a girl’s night out together but after that Elin desperately avoids Agnes, refusing to even consider her own feelings toward Agnes.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about the film or its cast.
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