The A Man Called Ove (2015) director delivers a biopic in the vein of Waltz for Monica (2013) – this is the story about a Swedish artist, Ted Gärdestad, who became a phenomenon but whose career declined as his struggle with mental illness became increasingly frequent. Immensely talented, the young Ted initially had a tennis career going alongside Björn Borg before focusing on music; writing hits came easy for him, and his career was boosted by the producer behind ABBA. The film recreates the period meticulously and credibly, with a good performance by Adam Pålsson, but no single ingredient rises above the expected.
2018-Sweden. 120 min. Color. Widescreen. Written and directed by Hannes Holm. Cast: Adam Pålsson (Ted Gärdestad), Peter Viitanen (Kenneth Gärdestad), Happy Jankell (Lotta Ramel), Jonas Karlsson, Maria Kulle, Johan Hedenberg… Hanna Alström.
Trivia: Original title: Ted – för kärlekens skull. The real-life Lotta Ramel plays her mother; singer Niklas Strömstedt plays his father, legendary publisher Bo Strömstedt.
