Elling

When his mother, who has sheltered him his entire 40 years, dies, sensitive would-be poet Elling is sent to live in a state institution. There he meets Kjell Bjarne, a gentle giant and woman-obsessed virgin in his 40s. After two years, the men are released and provided with a state-funded apartment and stipend with the hope they will be able to live on their own. Initially, the simple act of going around the corner for groceries is a challenge. Through a friendship born of desperate dependence, the skittish Elling and the boisterous, would-be ladies' man Kjell Bjarne discover that not only can they survive on the outside--they can thrive. But as their courage grows, they find oddball ways to cope with society and strike up friendships in the unlikeliest places.

In this prequel to Elling (2001), Elling, a slightly autistic, but opinionated young man, lives with his aging mother who is worried what he'll do without her. She decides to take him on a trip to Spain to see new things.

Three years have passed since Elling moved to town with Kjell Bjarne, his roommate from the institution at Brøynes. Elling now lives on his own in the apartment. Kjell Bjarne has moved up one floor, to Reidun and her little daughter Mojo. Feeling like an outsider, Elling isolates himself more and more. He observes humanity with astonishment and wonders at how everyone else seems to be adjusting so well. Finally, Kjell Bjarne takes care of the situation. Elling protests, but he is still pretty happy as he is transformed into a new man: clean, fully rested, and well-dressed. Deep inside, he also knows what's lacking, and one evening he finally finds the woman he knows is able to fill the void in his life. He's willing to do anything to win her trust and love. But when he is invited to his new girlfriend's for dinner, a few objections appear to Elling, and the story doesn't end quite the way he had thought it would.