HERMAN
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating: 6.3 out of 10 (C, ** out of ****)
Date Released: varies Running Length: 1:40 Rated: NR (Nothing offensive)
Starring: Anders Danielson Lie, Frank Robert, Elisabeth Sand,
Bjorn Floberg
Director: Erik Gustavson
Producer: Petter J. Borgli
Screenplay: Lars Saabye Christensen
Music: Randall Meyers
Released by RKO Pictures
Norwegian with English Subtitles
Herman (Anders Danielson Lie) is not that much different from most 11-year old boys, but he's unusual enough to earn him the taunts of his classmates and the scorn of his teachers. Counterbalancing his difficulties at school, however, is a warm home life. His parents (Elisabeth Sand and Bjorn Floberg) are both caring people who always make time in their busy lives for their son. Herman's grandfather (Frank Robert), an aging man with a kind heart and an engaging disposition, becomes to his grandson more of a friend than a relative. However, Herman's life is about to take a turn for the worse. After visiting the barber one day, he discovers that he has alopecia areata, a skin disease that, while not fatal or dangerous, will cause him to lose all of his hair.
HERMAN is a lugubrious film about a relatively uninteresting subject: the tribulations of a young boy who is going bald. Admittedly, with a script infused with lively wit or emotionally- wrenching pathos, it is possible to make a coming-of-age story entertaining. HERMAN, however, takes neither of these roads, instead opting for a relatively-straightforward telling of the tale. The instances of humor, while occasionally amusing, are easily telegraphed, and there's very little in the film to form an emotional link between the title character and the audience.
Going bald is likely to be a traumatic event for someone just out of his first decade of life, but the lack of any palpable threat to Herman's health makes it difficult to feel for him. He becomes so morose and despondent about losing his hair that we begin to view him more as a whiner than someone undergoing a difficult time. At least at first, Herman definitely does not confront his disease heroically.
The film really doesn't go anywhere. Often, it's difficult to gain an understanding of what HERMAN's real goal is. Overall, I suppose it's trying to give us a picture of a young boy who isn't afraid to be unusual, and who eventually overcomes his problems through that sense of individuality, but it's a message that takes too long to get across. This is not an involving movie. It's not bad--there are enough quirks of character to assure that--but neither is it good.
For those who like straightforward villains, a few of the kids in Herman's class fit the bill nicely. They do all the things that bullies do to smaller children--make fun of them, intimidate them, and steal their things. Only one fellow classmate, a lively redheaded girl named Ruby, shows any friendship for Herman. In the end, she plays a part in his "salvation," while all the bad kids are punished. This whole part of the story is fairly trivial.
Although HERMAN attempts to be another MY LIFE AS A DOG, it doesn't come close. That film had an emotional impact. We were drawn into the on-screen lives of the characters. HERMAN keeps us too much at a distance. There are a few moments of genuine insight, but nothing lasting. In the end, instead of an emotionally-vibrant motion picture experience, this movie turns out to be something of a dud.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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