Once we rented this movie just to see what it was about. We were fairly impressed. It focuses on Oslo mailman Roy Amundsen, who is sort of down on his luck. Then, he gets interested in a woman and starts following her around. When she leaves her key in a mailbox, he has it copied, gets locked in her apartment, and gets a little (or a lot) more than he bargained for! Some of the world's most interesting movies have come from Scandinavia (e.g., anything by Ingmar Bergman). "Budbringeren" (called "Junk Mail" in English) is no exception. This look at some of Norway's grittier aspects is truly eye-opening. Maybe it's not any kind of masterpiece, but it's still an interesting slice-of-life tale.
32 Reviews
A Kinder and Gentler Peeping Tom Movie
hokeybutt21 December 2005
JUNK MAIL (3+ outta 5 stars) Offbeat but sincere comedy-thriller about a lonely postman who comes across a set of keys accidentally left in the mailbox by a cute young girl on his route. He makes a copy of her keys and secretly checks out her apartment while she is at work. He also has a habit of disposing of junk mail in an out of the way train tunnel (whether this is out of sheer laziness or to spare the people on his route the bother is never really explained). One day he accidentally falls asleep and is trapped inside the girl's bedroom when she comes home from work and then... well, to give any more away would definitely ruin your enjoyment so I'll stop there. Suffice to say that things get a little more complicated. This quirky little Norwegian film didn't get a whole lot of attention on its US release. Too bad... it's well-written and well-acted and definitely worth checking out. Sort of a kinder and gentler version of "Blue Velvet".
Odd Norwegian black comedy
Jasper-125 April 1999
A twisty-turny narrative that ultimately leads nowhere, avoiding both exposition and explanation at the end of the day. Like a Nordic Coen Brothers film, this is more concerned with portraying quirky characters and odd scenarios, but despite some nifty camerawork, it is a rather ugly film, revelling in its depressingly squalid milieu without making any real point at the end of the day. The anti-hero remains a complete enigma throughout, but funnily enough, despite my reservations at the beginning, it was rather hard not to be won over at the end of the day. There were some marvellously taut action and suspense sequences, and some hilariously humourous scenes. Rather similar to most Scandinavian films I've seen actually. Dark grey and depressing, but blackly comic.
Bring me a Bud and I'll be happy
100110 December 1998
Junk Mail is a Norweigan movie, and it is as black a comedy as I've seen. But the makers of the movie have stumbled onto a comedic truth that never fails: take an aberrant character trait, and take it to the absolute limit. The lead character is a mailman of monstrously incompetent proportions, a creepy, irredemiably snoopy individual who can't even get mugged right; he would gladly have handed over his mailbag, but he couldn't get it off his shoulder. In the process of sneaking around a deaf girl's apartment whom he fancies, he saves her life after she tries to commit suicide. For this guy, this uncharacteristically unselfish act sets off a disastrous chain of events. This weird movie will NOT work for you if you don't think it's funny. And this movie will only be funny for you to the degree that you're cynical and capricious in your affections. People of good heart, stay away.
Odd black comedy from Scandinavia
JohnSeal27 September 1999
Junk Mail doesn't have much of a story and it's major message seems to be 'mind your own business'. However it does keep one's attention simply because it's totally unpredictable. Robert Skjaestad plays a lazy postman who can't be bothered delivering all the catalogues and other junk, so he deposits it all in a railway siding hidden by a tunnel. He's also a bit of a Peeping Tom, and without giving too much away he gets himself into an awkward situation involving some stolen money. Complications ensue. A bit of a nineties Billy Liar, Junk Mail ends on an unsatisying note that tries to tie up some loose ends but doesn't. Perhaps this is the beginning of a Brave New Norwegian Cinema. Baby steps, baby steps...
This is in fact a tightly controlled film about a man who does good despite himself.
ben-mcpherson13 February 2003
Although little appears to happen in this film, it is in fact a very well controlled piece about a postman who has opted out of engaging with the world. He accidentally saves the life of a suicidal woman, and through committing this unintentional good act becomes a better person - entirely against his will.
The performances are flawless, and the direction unobtrusive, giving the illusion of effortlessness that is in fact very hard to achieve. Despite being a film of great moral complexity, Junk Mail wears its serious purpose very lightly, and is in fact very funny indeed.
Certainly one of the best films to come out of Scandinavia in recent years, and one which shows a side of Oslo few outsiders ever witness.
The performances are flawless, and the direction unobtrusive, giving the illusion of effortlessness that is in fact very hard to achieve. Despite being a film of great moral complexity, Junk Mail wears its serious purpose very lightly, and is in fact very funny indeed.
Certainly one of the best films to come out of Scandinavia in recent years, and one which shows a side of Oslo few outsiders ever witness.
Dark, tense, funny, fresh. An almost perfect film.
DonConore6 February 2002
The Dutch TV guide gave this the "Film of the Day" title and appropriately so. They also described the main character as a cross between the postmen from "Il Postino" and Bukowski's "Post Office". That description cannot be improved upon. Dark, tense, funny, fresh.
A Scandanavian 'Taxi Driver'
the red duchess19 April 2001
A postman is like a taxi-driver, a medium of connecting people and places. Like the taxi driver, the postman lives a vicarious life: he sees others living theirs, but has no part in it himself. Any inherent bias towards solitude thus becomes intensified. Unlike other people, who generally stay in their allotted social position - in work, home and play - the postman and taxi driver are mobile and fluid: they are urban creatures who can unite people, classes, places that normally would remain apart.
If there is one genre that depends on connection, cross-class and -space mobility, it is the detective genre. A detective needs to be able to connect disparate clues and suspects into the single narrative of a crime. 'Junk mail' begins with a crime, filmed with some urgency, as a couple mug a security guard and steal a large amount of money. This is, to the audience, a random, inexplicable act - we don't know who any of these characters are, and why they are in this situation.
The next sequence introduces the film's protagonist, the postman. Not only does he have the advantages outlined above, but he has that third, most vital prerequisite for a detective: he is a voyeur. He spies on people in shops. He opens their mail. He breaks into their houses and examines their things. By mixing his job and his personal perversions, he is able to explain that opening sequence, find the clues and piece them together.
Normally, the detective is a moral force - he restores social order after the violation of a crime. But Roy is himself a criminal, and it is Line's shoplifting that attracts him to her. One way a detective solves a crime is by imagining himself as the criminal, e.g. Sherlock Holmes in disguise. Roy is the least appealing 'hero' of modern cinema, filthy in personal habits, anti-social, the kind of cynical, cowardly brute who violates those who, through their own sins, have no legal redress.
But he is also a non-entity: a comic scene of humiliation at work reveals him to have no talent whatsoever. Not even his nominal, despised girlfriend can think of one positive attribute. When we first see him, he is being bullied by a superior. His illegalities are all about invading others' lives, or entering identities because he has none of his own. When he breaks into Line's apartment, he tries to imagine what it is like to be her, to the point where he unwittingly falls asleep on her bed. He even steals her tastes for his own when they first (consciously) meet. He is Chesterton's invisible man (also a postman) - unnoticed because he's always there.
Like many recent alienated urban heroes ('Chopper', 'Bleeder', etc.), Roy is a child of Travis Bickle, and the look of the film has the lurid, sickly colour of 'Taxi Driver', the city as vomit, with Roy hurtling towards his own warped redemptive rescue. But there is a vision of Oslo as a dank, run-down bureaucracy similar to the Czech comedies of the 1960s, or, more obviously, Orwell (or 'Brazil'), that bespeaks a more social purpose - this is not the film the Norwegian tourist board will be distributing. The glum scene where Roy is awarded a watch for bravery having been attacked by thugs (his strap got caught in his panicked hurry to oblige) is comically reminiscent of Kaurismaki.
If there is one genre that depends on connection, cross-class and -space mobility, it is the detective genre. A detective needs to be able to connect disparate clues and suspects into the single narrative of a crime. 'Junk mail' begins with a crime, filmed with some urgency, as a couple mug a security guard and steal a large amount of money. This is, to the audience, a random, inexplicable act - we don't know who any of these characters are, and why they are in this situation.
The next sequence introduces the film's protagonist, the postman. Not only does he have the advantages outlined above, but he has that third, most vital prerequisite for a detective: he is a voyeur. He spies on people in shops. He opens their mail. He breaks into their houses and examines their things. By mixing his job and his personal perversions, he is able to explain that opening sequence, find the clues and piece them together.
Normally, the detective is a moral force - he restores social order after the violation of a crime. But Roy is himself a criminal, and it is Line's shoplifting that attracts him to her. One way a detective solves a crime is by imagining himself as the criminal, e.g. Sherlock Holmes in disguise. Roy is the least appealing 'hero' of modern cinema, filthy in personal habits, anti-social, the kind of cynical, cowardly brute who violates those who, through their own sins, have no legal redress.
But he is also a non-entity: a comic scene of humiliation at work reveals him to have no talent whatsoever. Not even his nominal, despised girlfriend can think of one positive attribute. When we first see him, he is being bullied by a superior. His illegalities are all about invading others' lives, or entering identities because he has none of his own. When he breaks into Line's apartment, he tries to imagine what it is like to be her, to the point where he unwittingly falls asleep on her bed. He even steals her tastes for his own when they first (consciously) meet. He is Chesterton's invisible man (also a postman) - unnoticed because he's always there.
Like many recent alienated urban heroes ('Chopper', 'Bleeder', etc.), Roy is a child of Travis Bickle, and the look of the film has the lurid, sickly colour of 'Taxi Driver', the city as vomit, with Roy hurtling towards his own warped redemptive rescue. But there is a vision of Oslo as a dank, run-down bureaucracy similar to the Czech comedies of the 1960s, or, more obviously, Orwell (or 'Brazil'), that bespeaks a more social purpose - this is not the film the Norwegian tourist board will be distributing. The glum scene where Roy is awarded a watch for bravery having been attacked by thugs (his strap got caught in his panicked hurry to oblige) is comically reminiscent of Kaurismaki.
Truly excellent
cnl3 December 2000
The atmosphere of this film, with it's dirty, miserable version of Oslo, and the lowlife, ugly losers and criminals... it's extremely well done. I think people who like "Down by Law" and the Finnish part of "Night on Earth" might like this one too.
Dreadful
kinoman-25 January 2000
Though it was labeled as a "romantic thriller" on the videocassette that I rented, nothing can be further from either the romantic or the thriller than "Junk Mail." By some reason certain filmmakers think that simply putting a group of people in ugly surroundings they will make their film funny. Well, it's not. There must be also such old-fashioned things as scripting, acting and directing and these aspects are almost non-existent in this film.
And its portrayal of Norway and Norwegians will unlikely make the country appealing to the outside world.
And its portrayal of Norway and Norwegians will unlikely make the country appealing to the outside world.
Short and sweet with a lot of original material!
raymond-1510 September 2001
This film depicts Oslo as a rather run-down city which, as far as I can remember, it is not; and as for the Norwegian Postal Service ...well that seems to be struggling along if we can judge by the unreliable antics of Roy (Robert Skjaerstad), one of the young postmen. He not only opens and reads private mail, but also lets himself into an apartment when he finds a key left in a mail-box. His exploration of the rooms leaves little time for delivering letters so he dumps the contents of his bag in a railway tunnel. The irony of the situation is that he is awarded a gold watch for bravery in attendance to his duties after being badly beaten up in the streets. The originality of the story is completely charming as it blends romance, suspense and comedy in which Roy seems to get involved at every turn. One scene I particularly like is the one in which a locomotive almost runs him down in the tunnel and scatters his letters high and wide like a flurry of snowflakes. It's just one of many quaint scenes. In another scene he is on the point of being gunned down in his own grungey apartment when nearby jackhammers reverberate throughout the whole building giving him the opportunity to make his get-away. There is a suspenseful moment when he slips an iron bar through the doorhandles of a public toilet imprisoning a frantic gunman. Unfortunately for Roy (always a loser it seems) his inscribed wrist watch falls off in his struggle and so the gunman is eventually able to trace his whereabouts. The film is short and sweet, well worth watching. It has a lot of originality in the script and the acting is first class. The film suggests we should look under our beds before retiring . One never knows who may be hiding there...particularly in Oslo.
Best norweagian movie for many years
Jabla13 September 1999
This has to be the best norweagian movie for many years. The carachters are great, the athmosphere is really dark, like in the center of town. It really catches Oslo at it's darkest, things that we really know, but don't really think about. Like how much does your mailman really know about you? It's a fun movie as well, see it!!
An Inauspicious Introduction to the Films of Norway
pugdad22 April 1999
Doesn't anyone in Norway take a bath regularly is all I could think of during most of the viewing of this misguided effort. The film wanders so much that the viewer begins to think that they are making it up as they go along. The characters are never clearly developed, and their relationships are even less understood. Story? There really is none. This is truly an amateur effort. It will now be difficult for me to avoid films from Norway in the future.
I didn't know delivering the mail could be so funny
e-Man-49 November 1998
In my opinion this movie HAS a great plot and IS funny. The tragic, dark, miserable lives of Oslo's lowlifes are brilliantly shown in this movie. Also it does not romantisize or glamourize in the well-known crappy Hollywood-style. It's a well done low-budget movie . In short : A great movie definitely worth spending time to watch.
Truly awful
jland29 July 1998
This is one of the worst films I've ever seen. Billed as a comedy, I can assure you that I was not laughing, nor was anyone else in the theater. Dull, drab lives of completely uninteresting people. No plot. Scarcely any action. Going to see this movie is a complete waste of time and money.
Catch this one!
stevewest-127 December 2002
I was hooked when I sat down (only meaning to sit down for 5 mins), on the TV this girl lamely resorting to saying 'walking' when asked what one of her co-workers is good at. In the film, the main character, a man in his late thirties, not faring too well in life who's just waiting for something to happen, runs into the same woman several times and starts to take an interest in her. When he sees her leave a key in her mailbox while on the job he can't resist; this was the first in many instances that left me saying "what the hell is this guy doing?". Not only does he check out her apartment but he gets the key copied, and even gets trapped there on a return visit, resorting to hiding under the bed when the woman unexpectedly arrives. Like the other reviewers were saying, this film does make Oslo look a bit shabby (not that I've been there). It's is worth watching, just to see what this guy gets up to and it's a memorable viewing experience.
A classic!
Attila-513 November 1998
This is a true, modern classic. It starts out as a "look-what-a-s****y-life" type film, but it has more than that! For instance it contains the best ever karaoke-scene on film, and the story is very intelligent and well composed (everything that happens in it is actually somehow connected). It is really a story of love and how messing in other people's business can get you into trouble. The only thing wrong with it is that it is too short...
Best from Scandinavia
Pittwater21 January 2003
This is definitely one of the best contemporary Scandinavian films with all the hallmark of a top artistic production. All the characters are not without flaws and they are presented as anti-heroes. The movie has a grunge atmosphere and it is laced with humour and mockery. I can't really throw more light into this without creating too great an expectation for you except to say I really enjoyed it for pure entertainment. I like the quaint odd-ball filmmaking style created by Pål Sletaune. My question is: where is the DVD? Criterion people, are you listening?
This was a rather drab, slow, pointless....
markguszak21 December 2000
movie. I had high expectations for this one and was very let down. The movie is not funny, but it was billed as a comedy. This movie is not exciting, but it was billed as an adventure. This film was not good, although some critics gave it a thumb up. I guess that if you are Scandinavian you might enjoy it, because it is a Swedish film. That is all the praise I can give it, Thank You!
When an employee is underpaid and unappreciated
jordondave-2808530 October 2023
(1997) Junk Mail
(In Norwegian with English subtitles)
PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER/ COMEDY
I saw this film on the recommendation by an episode of "Siskel and Ebert". People who're familiar with films such as "The Bicycle Thief" and "The Third Man" should be familiar with the term "neo- realist" in which the film uses actual landscapes and no props- that everything that is filmed is on an actual realistic fashion. At the time that I saw this film, I didn't care too much about the story or that he's not the most likable mail man whose expected to garner any awards as the best mail man in the world, but was most engaged in outlook, the dirtiest and darkest environments, for which all of Norway is not like this at all. I definitely don't want this guy handling my mail because, he takes harmless liberties which can get him fired in any civilize environments- this is the result of the shoddy treatment, and unappreciated as well as the low pay from it's people he serves.
I saw this film on the recommendation by an episode of "Siskel and Ebert". People who're familiar with films such as "The Bicycle Thief" and "The Third Man" should be familiar with the term "neo- realist" in which the film uses actual landscapes and no props- that everything that is filmed is on an actual realistic fashion. At the time that I saw this film, I didn't care too much about the story or that he's not the most likable mail man whose expected to garner any awards as the best mail man in the world, but was most engaged in outlook, the dirtiest and darkest environments, for which all of Norway is not like this at all. I definitely don't want this guy handling my mail because, he takes harmless liberties which can get him fired in any civilize environments- this is the result of the shoddy treatment, and unappreciated as well as the low pay from it's people he serves.
Less than mediocre
Methi21 September 1998
the high art of making a light but melancholic movie
ft-520 March 2004
i'm glad there are a lot of other commentaries this frees me from telling too much about the story. it is about a postman who read the letters he's supposed to deliver and eventually even throws them away. suddenly he finds himself in the middle of a absurd and even a little dangerous story. but in my opinion just needs this story to talk about the relations between people. and what makes this movie so special is the fact that it actually not just shows pictures and sequences you've seen a hundred-times before.
it really has, i can't put it differently, respect for its personal.
this means that the persons keep their own personality for the whole absurd-tragic story of the movie.
it really has, i can't put it differently, respect for its personal.
this means that the persons keep their own personality for the whole absurd-tragic story of the movie.
Junk flick
=G=23 September 2003
"Junk Mail", a comedy out of Oslo, tells of the activities of a grungy slug of postman whose curiosity and lack of good sense gets him in to a variety of undesirable situations. The camera follows the slovenly little protag as he goes about his business among a meager cast with almost no script delivering mail and almost nothing which can be regarded as entertainment. "Junk Mail" is the kind of unusual film which critics love and the public can't figure out why. Factor in subtitles and this flick just isn't worth the time...unless you're a critic, of course. (C-)
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