StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Seraherrera The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

Neive Bellamy Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Claudio Carvalho In 1890, in Christiania, the penniless aspirant writer Pontus (Per Oscarsson) is unemployed and starved, and near to be evicted from his poor room in a low-budget boarding house. The lonely Pontus has written an article and his hope is that the editor of the local newspaper buys his literary composition to raise money to have a meal and pay his debts to his landlord. However, Pontus is too proud and arrogant to accept any charity or money in advance and despite his poor appearance, he insists to tell other people that he does not need any alms. Further, his honesty does not allow him to keep a change wrongly given to him. The hunger Pontus is becoming delusional and having daydreams due to the lack of food. When the weirdo Pontus sees the gorgeous Ylajali (Gunnel Lindblom) walking on the street with her sister, he flirts with her. Sooner the editor asks him to rewrite his article in an appropriate language of newspaper and Ylajali dates him, and it seems that his dreams will finally come true. "Sult" is an impressive, depressive and heartbreaking character study of one of the most complex characters I have ever seen. The viewer does not have information about the past of Pontus, but his behavior indicates that he was from the aristocracy of the upper-classes that has moved to Norway expecting to become a successful writer but that is actually a loser. Or that he feels superior to the other people and also inferior, at the same time. His personality is contradictory since even under a deep starvation,he keeps his self-esteem, pride and arrogance, capable to hock his jacket to give a handout to a beggar. Pontus does not give-up and only when he indirectly receives money from Ylajali, he is capable to return to his country. I have never read the novel of Knut Hamsun, but it certainly might be a depressing story. Per Oscarsson has one of the best performances I gave ever seen and participates in every scene through his presence, his visions or his feelings. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Fome" ("Hunger")

Murder Slim Knut Hamsun's novel 'Hunger' is one of the better known books of the "outsider" canon. It's a great book, but one that must have been difficult to adapt into 'Sult'. It's written in first person, and has a dreamlike and rambling feel as the starving writer battles to write a masterpiece and raise enough money for a meal.'Sult' starts worryingly. Carlsen's opening shots of the streets of Christiania (Oslo) in 1890 - with wacky carnival music for the theme tune - are reminiscent of a student film. The movie rapidly improves though... as soon as Per Oscarsson starts to act.Oscarsson genuinely looks starved and near death, with hollow eyes and a teetering walk in the wind. Yet he also captures Pontus' showy arrogance and refusal to admit to anyone that he is starving. Oscarsson walks that line perfectly, and there's enough in his looks and movement to gradually draw sympathy. I found myself willing for Pontus to just ask for help... to the point I wanted to shake him... but he ploughs resolutely on, convinced he'll write something that will blow people's minds.The film has also been criticised for portraying a stereotype of a starving artist. The counter argument is 'Sult' was one of the first literary portrayals of this stereotype. And even if Pontus isn't as much of a surprise as he would have been 40 - or 100 - years ago, the character is easily interesting enough to maintain attention. There's also plenty of black comedy in the scenes where Pontus visits the pawnbroker and offers ludicrous things for sale, while he still desperately tries to come across as moneyed and intellectual.I think Carlsen did a superb job of capturing the spirit of 'Hunger', without following it slavishly enough to hurt the visual flow. The film doesn't use lengthy voice-overs, and prefers to let the acting and the situations show Pontus' complex mental state. For that reason, 'Sult' should play for both fans of 'Hunger' and for viewers interested in outsider folks fighting to exist. Sure, the cinematography lacks flair and the movie will be too slow for some, but it's a rewarding and thought provoking movie.

Andreas Baumann This film describes like no other movie a feeling of desperation, hunger and life's meaninglessness. You get in a horrible mood watching it, but you can't take your eyes off the screen. It reminded me a lot of "Raskolnikov" ("Crime and Punishment") by Dostojevskij and a bit of Tom Kristensen's "Hærværk" ("Vandalism"). I did not think movies could be like this - irrational, desperate and oppressive. Per Oscarsson's role as the writer Pondus is moving and exceptionally good. He seems to be a good person, but his moral is tested to the limits, when he by mistake gets too much money back in a grocery. He describes with precise accuracy the dilemma between moral and one's own needs - hunger and love. Watch it, sense it!

romarblanc This movie left me speechless..., simply said. It's amazing how Per Oscarsson portrays that starving writer trying to live in 19th century Oslo. He is convinced he is a genius so he tries unsuccessfully selling his works and nobody cares of it. He is unable to find another job... It's strange but although he suffers from paranoia and then he finds himself absolutely good, you cant sympathize with him..., there is a moment in the movie actually great: he is eating a bone and then he gets ill..., and he starts crying..., that moment is... i have read the novel and i know how difficult is to show in images a novel that is whole a monologue...; I think that Oscarsson is a cold performer..., i mean: he is a Great actor in this movie..., but the way he portrays the writer doesn't make you feel anything for him..., in the novel and in the movie you know that he cames from the country..., so this is a story about a man who fights against everything and everybody in order to achieve his goals..., at the end he heads for a sea trip... Read the novel, feel it, watch the movie, feel it... Beautiful black and white photography with sharp contrast.