Larsson i andra giftet: Flour, singing, and a bit of a mess

Is this for you?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s Swedish comfort food cinema, you’ll probably find this cute. If you’re looking for high-stakes drama or anything remotely modern, you should probably skip it. It’s really just a light pastry of a movie.

The whole thing revolves around Lasse Larsson, a guy who works at the Gyllene Trappen bakery. He’s the kind of guy who sings while he works, which honestly sounds a bit annoying if you’re his coworker, but here it’s just seen as charming.

There’s a real stiff-backed energy to the way the scenes are blocked. It feels less like real life and more like a stage play that someone accidentally filmed. Sometimes the actors are just standing there, waiting for their turn to say a line, and it’s kind of funny to watch.

I found myself thinking about Back to the Kitchen while watching, mostly because of the food themes, though this one has a lot less of the frantic energy you might expect. It’s much slower. Way slower.

The Sing-Alongs

Edvard Persson is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. He’s got that voice that just fills the room. But sometimes, the singing just stops the movie dead in its tracks. Like, we get it, you’re happy at the bakery, but do we need three verses?

The bakery itself looks like a set, obviously. You can almost see the dust motes dancing in the lights. It’s cozy, though. There’s something about the old-fashioned props that makes me want to go buy a loaf of bread, even if it’s probably stale by now.

It’s not as chaotic or fun as Lazy Days, which had a bit more of a pulse. This one is more about the domestic side of things. Marriage stuff. Second time around, hence the title.

Odd little moments

• There’s a reaction shot of a customer in the background that lasts way too long.
• The way they handle the flour sacks looks like they’re made of Styrofoam.
• I’m pretty sure someone forgot to move a chair in the corner of the frame.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s barely even a solid story. But if you’re tired of the noise of today’s movies, Larsson i andra giftet is like a nap in a warm kitchen. Don't expect to be changed by it. Just expect to be fed, maybe a little too much sugar. 🥖