They're packed and ready for the greatest adventure of their lives. All they have to do is get out of the house.
40-year-old Elling, sensitive, would-be poet, is sent to live in a state institution when his mother, who has sheltered him his entire life, dies. There he meets Kjell Bjarne, a gentle giant and female-obsessed virgin, also in his 40s.
Elling (2001) is a comedy and drama film directed by Petter Næss, released on March 16, 2001 with a runtime of 1h 29m. It stars Per Christian Ellefsen, Sven Nordin, Marit Pia Jacobsen and Jørgen Langhelle. Viewers rate it 7.1 out of 10 across 201 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Elling before you stream it.
Per Christian Ellefsen
as Elling
Sven Nordin
as Kjell Bjarne
Marit Pia Jacobsen
as Reidun Nordsletten
Jørgen Langhelle
as Frank Åsli
Per Christensen
as Alfons Jørgensen
Hilde Olausson
as Gunn
Ola Otnes
as Hauger
Eli Anne Linnestad
as Johanne
Cecilie A. Mosli
as Cecilie Kornes
Joachim Rafaelsen
as Haakon Willum
Per Gørvell
as Eriksen
Knud Dahl
as Servitør på bar
Directed by Petter Næss, written by Ingvar Ambjørnsen and Axel Hellstenius, produced by Dag Alveberg.
Average viewer score of 7.1/10 from 201 ratings.
There is certainly something of the odd couple here - maybe even the oddest of couples, as two men are thrown together by circumstance and state - and have to learn to live with each other. "Elling" (Per Christian Ellefsen) has reached the ripe old age of forty without ever having been untied from his now late mother's apron strings. "Kjell" (Sven Nordin) is an hulk of a man obsessed with girls but completely…
Reviewed on August 16, 2026
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Elling (2001) is available to stream on Viaplay Amazon Channel. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Elling (2001) includes Per Christian Ellefsen, Sven Nordin, Marit Pia Jacobsen, Jørgen Langhelle and Per Christensen. The film was directed by Petter Næss. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Elling was released on March 16, 2001 and runs for 1h 29m.
Elling (2001) holds an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 from 201 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy comedy and drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Elling trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
