This is well-intentioned, occasionally even charming movie, that nevertheless struggles to recover from the fatally poor plotting that blights its first 45 minutes. Goran and Sven are a gay couple who have been approved for adoption and informed that the new addition to their family will be Patrik, aged 1,5. Yes, that's a comma between the 1 and the 5. Even so, when Patrik, aged 15, arrives on their doorstep - unaccompanied, which seems odd - they are convinced there has been a mistake, and that their 18-month-old Patrik must have gone astray. That this would involve the monumental coincidence of two boys named Patrik being adopted out on the same day does not deter this asinine line of thinking. Nor does that suspicious comma on their initial notification. And the writing conveniently but clumsily fudges the unavoidable fact that Patrik's surname would also be on all official communications. But rather than come to the blindingly obvious conclusion that their Patrik is 15 - not 1,5 - Sven and Goran stumble on being phenomenally stupid and increasingly annoying for 40 long minutes. In the meantime, Sven decides, on the basis of zero evidence, that Patrik (aged 15) is also dangerous, thereby pretty much doubling the stupidity levels. It's only after these cack-handed attempts at humour that the movie settles into a rather more engaging, if also extremely predictable, tale about forging an unconventional family. The pity of it all is that there was a good movie buried in all of this. Could they not find a moderately intelligent dramaturg anywhere in Sweden?

I just love the movie, it's beautifully done. The development of each characters emotions is spot in this movie. I love every bits of the movie. Although the other details could have been prepared better, I still think the production team have done a great job focusing on the 3 main characters. Regardless of the others, the 3 actors did a wonderful especially Patrik and Goran. It does not contain too much(any) softcore porn like a particular gay-themed movie does and it's definitely watchable for all. The storyline is just wonderful, cute, and refreshing. It's just keeping you smile hours after the movie. It even gets to the point where I said to myself that I wish that I will get the same family too. lol. ANYWAY, if anyone saw similar movies like this one please reply this post or leave me a message. Thanks!

Often when you watch a "gay" movie, you have to allow for some bad acting, predictable story, and tired stereotypes. This film has none of those problems and in fact, is tough to really label as a "gay" film as that's just a small factor in the plot. It's a film about relationships - how they begin, how they end, how they end up when all is said and done, and how we manage going from one phase to another despite our intentions or beliefs. The performances are wonderful, the story is well-written, and the emotional pay-off is genuine. There's no dramatic moment waiting to shock you, just a quiet, well-told tale of 3 people who each have their own demons to fight that happen to be connected to one another by choice or chance.Charming, warm, gentle, kind. There is nothing bad here. I love it not only as one of the best "arthouse" films I've watched, but as one of the best dramas I've seen.

The Birdcage (1996), Reinas (2005), The Wedding Banquet (1993), Law of Desire (1987)... many good films have been made about gay people's relationships with each other and their straight friends and families. Ella Lemhagen's 2008 drama-comedy Patrik 1,5 is the first film I have seen from the director but joins the above movies in the category of watchable gay comedies.The plot goes as follows: Göran and Sven Skoogh (Gustaf Skarsgård and Torkel Petersson) are a happily married gay couple who have recently moved into an idyllic new suburb and are anxious to adopt a baby. However, they find their dream difficult to realize since no foreign country is willing to give a child to a gay couple and suitable Swedish babies are difficult to find. They are overjoyed upon hearing that an orphaned 18-month old baby has become available for adoption but are dismayed when their baby Patrik turns out to be a 15-year old homophobic delinquent (Thomas Ljungman) due to a typographical error in the adoption documents.With a premise like this, one could expect the story to be a sappy tale of overcoming prejudices which carries a laughably obvious message like "gays are people too" but luckily that is not the whole point of Patrik 1,5. Sure, Sven and Göran do encounter homophobia, ranging from kids calling them names to the neighbours "forgetting" to send them an invitation to a house party, but ultimately the story focuses much more on the characters' relationships with each other, be they gay or not. In fact, the movie does not find it necessary at all to specifically point out that it is OK to be gay as it goes without saying right from the start. A less subtle film could have been built entirely around stereotypes like effeminate clothing, lispy voices and giggly flamboyancy but the couple in Patrik 1,5 is completely ordinary and very likable (if also a bit generic and unmemorable, like average people are) – the film laughs with them, not at them. A downside would be that in its quest for ordinariness, the film does not differ very much from many other movies about parenthood.Although the overall mood and "message" of the film are thoroughly sympathetic, its basis as a feel-good dramedy lessens the effect of the serious drama plot regarding Göran's suspicions of Sven not being the right guy for him after all. More masculine than his partner, Sven is not free of prejudices himself and acts in a very hostile manner toward Patrik who always comes across as more scared than tough (even surprisingly so, being a convicted delinquent and all). When the focus is subsequently turned to the budding friendship of Göran and Patrik, the gay theme becomes secondary and the film plays out like any family drama of a sullen kid opening up in a loving family. Cheesiness is not entirely avoided although the actors do a very good job throughout, particularly Skarsgård and Petersson as the lead couple.Besides the cheese, other complaints about the movie could include things like occasionally overly shaky camera work and the somewhat underdeveloped character of Sven's daughter Isabell (Amanda Davin). The hostilities between the super-friendly Göran and the secretly sensitive Patrik also dissolve unrealistically quickly but I guess they wanted to keep the mood on the lighter side after all so wallowing in past traumas could not be paid too much attention. Nonetheless, I liked Lemhagen's film alright and greatly prefer it to, for instance, the Adam Sandler comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007) that wanted both to make fun of gays and promote their acceptance at the same time. In the end, Patrik 1,5 is certainly a movie about more than just gay issues and can be recommend to anyone looking for a positive little tale of family relationships.