Friends Forever [Venner for altid] [Innocence is No Excuse] *** (1987, Claus Bender Mortensen, Thomas Elholm, Thomas Sigsgaard) – Classic Movie Review 13,378

Claus Bender Mortensen stars in the 1987 Danish film Friends Forever [Venner for altid] as shy 16-year-old teenager Kristian, who moves to a new Copenhagen neighbourhood and is struggling to adjust in his new school.

Claus Bender Mortensen stars in the 1987 Danish film Friends Forever [Venner for altid] as shy 16-year-old teenager Kristian, who moves to a new Copenhagen neighbourhood and is struggling to adjust in his new school. But he makes friends with two very different kinds of boys: the independently minded, non-conformist Henrik (Thomas Elholm) and the bullying clique leader Patrick (Thomas Sigsgaard).

However, later on, Kristian and Patrick become close when Patrick gets him a job at the bar where he works and moves away from his parents. But Kristian is startled and troubled when he discovers that Patrick is gay and having an affair with the captain of a soccer team. But finally Kristian is on Patrick’s side, even if that means taking on the school authorities, and they can remain Friends Forever.

Director Stefan Henszelman’s 1987 Danish film Friends Forever [Venner for altid] is an amusing, effective and appealing film of a teenage boy’s coming of age, mostly played seriously and realistically, but topped off with a daffy hippyish carefree song and dance involving the whole cast.

It is very mid-Eighties, quite dated, a little faded, but still thoroughly relevant, liberating and entertaining. Claus Bender Mortensen, Thomas Elholm, and Thomas Sigsgaard all do well in their very different roles, creating memorable, original characters who draw you into their lives and stories.

Stefan Henszelman was the 1988 winner of the Audience Award for Best Feature at the San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.

Stars: Claus Bender Mortensen, Thomas Elholm, Thomas Sigsgaard.

Writers: Stefan Henszelman, Alexander Kørschen.

Director: Stefan Henszelman.

Release date: 6 February 1987.

Runtime: 90 minutes.

Writers: Stefan Henszelman, Alexander Kørschen.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,378

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