Sebastian *** (1995, Hampus Björck, Nicolai Cleve Broch, Ewa Fröling, Helge Jordal) – Classic Movie Review 12,721

The thoughtful 1995 Swedish drama film Sebastian [När alla vet] chronicles a teenage boy’s coming out. Happily, the main problems of 16-year-old Sebastian (Hampus Björck) are very Swedish: he has kind parents, great friends, and is in love with his super-nice best friend Ulf. 

Director Svend Wam’s thoughtful 1995 Swedish drama film Sebastian [När alla vet] chronicles a teenage boy’s coming out. Happily, the main problems of 16-year-old Sebastian (Hampus Björck) are very Swedish: he has nice parents, a good sister, great friends, does well in school, has good looks, great hair, and is in love with his super-nice handsome best friend Ulf (Nicolai Cleve Broch). What could go wrong? Well nothing, actually.

But Sebastian is infuriated because his parents are too nice and too understanding, and, after he tries to kiss Ulf, is shocked to discover that Ulf accepts him totally too, and so do the friends. Sebastian’s fears all prove unfounded. Now he can look forward to beginning his happy life as an adult. The film, based on Per Knutsen’s 1988 young adult novel Black Eyeliner, is so positive it hurts.

There’s comedy when Sebastian brings Ulf home for dinner and his parents assume he is gay. There’s eroticism when the lads take a bath together. There’s drama when Sebastian tries to kiss Ulf. There’s the hint of another kind of life, another kind of film, in the idea that Ulf comes from an unstable, tempestuous home. But it’s all light and gentle.

The attempted kiss aside, Sebastian is a drama without drama, but still dramatic and entertaining, with no deep issues or hurt to tackle, and really just one thing on its mind: that the most difficult part of coming out is fighting self-doubt and uncertainty, and that still takes courage and resolve. You don’t have to wrestle with your sexuality, just come out. Goodness oozes from this film effortlessly and infectiously. It is sweet, loveable and embraceable.

Hampus Björck as Sebastian, Nicolai Cleve Broch as Ulf, Ewa Fröling as Mother, Helge Jordal as Father are all tremendous.

Release date: November 2, 1995.

Runtime: 88 minutes.

The cast are Hampus Björck as Sebastian, Nicolai Cleve Broch as Ulf, Ewa Fröling as Mother, Helge Jordal as Father, Rebecka Hemse as Lisbeth, Lena Olander as Linda, Emil Lindroth as Jan, Karin Hagås as Inga, Mira Mandoki as Lisa, Stig Torstensson as Fyllie, Sara Alström as Girl #1, Johanna Sällström as Girl #2, and Bård Torgersen as Vendor.

It is shot at Morsarvet Studio in Åmotfors, Sweden, by cinematographer Per Källberg.

Swedish actor Hampus Carl Björck was born on 21 July 1977.

Broch acting as king Olaf II of Norway in 2004.

Norwegian theatre and film actor Nicolai Cleve Broch was born on 14 November 1975.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,721

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