Sons of Norway

John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon cameos and Executive-Produces this social/political fantastic coming-of-age film. Nikolaj adores his eccentric hippie parents, especially his extremely unconventional father. Christmas is celebrated around a tree strung with bananas (summing up the father's feelings regarding the religious reasons for the holiday), and the holiday's good-humored Christmas dinner table blessing includes quotes from Nietzsche challenging beliefs in Christ and/or Christianity. But when Nikolaj's mother dies in a tragic accident, Nikolaj's anger helps to guide him toward punk, The Sex Pistols and a need to rebel against the hypocrisy and bleak future that he now sees his school, society - and yes, even his dad - leading him to. The problem is, rebelliousness has always been encouraged, not disciplined, in Nikolaj's home. Plus, Nikolai's dad was also badly damaged, and is now feeling a similar need to lash out. How do you stand up against your father when he begins following you down YOUR path and listening to YOUR music? Plus, he goes so far in supporting your rebelliousness that he actually comes to your school - rather brilliantly - to defend you when you are threatened with discipline after throwing a bottle at your school principal, hitting him in the head, during a bullshit public speech. Effectively, your dad is growing up just as much as you are. But still, there remains much to lash out against. For one, Nikolaj's father drags him along as he retreats to a hippie nudist colony, a personal journey for dad that turns out to be about little more than a need to shagg some woman from behind in the bushes. Then there's his dad's overly familiar playfulness with one of Nikolaj's teen-aged female friends. The last straw is broken, however, when Nikolaj's band gets their 1st public gig and - needing a drummer after their regular one has a bad reaction to some drugs - Nikolaj's father is called upon by the band to sit in with them. SONS OF NORWAY is a delightful and very thoughtful film that provides seems honest, while avoiding easy answers.