Monsterthursday
Encyclopedia
Monsterthursday was a 2004 motion picture release about a quirky love triangle between a surfer, his carpenter's best friend and the surfer's wife (played by Silja Salomonsen), who was previously married to the carpenter, Even (played by Vegar Hoel).
) is proudly telling a boy about the only surfer who rode a "monstrous" wave during a storm. When the boy asks when this happened, Skip answers that it was long, long ago....
The story now shifts to a remote coastal Norwegian town. The audience is immediately introduced to Even. Even is a carpenter who has an uncanny tendency for surviving violent situations with barely getting a scratch. He is well dressed but is lounging at a bar and appears unhappy. We later learn that he is the best man for his best friend's wedding, Tord (played by Christian Skolmen
). He arrives late with the rings, but Tord forgives him and the wedding ceremony goes under way. From the ceremony to the reception, Even behaves tense and awkwardly. The audience finally learns some background information when Even is asked to give a speech; during that speech, he recounts how he met the bride, Karen (Silja Salomonsen) in Italy
. They returned to Norway
and married. Then Karen met Tord, Even's more successful and athletic best friend, divorced Even, and married Tord, eventually becoming pregnant with Tord's child. As he says all of this, he creates an awkward moment for the guests. Tord confronts Even for his daring monologue, but Even simply says "You stole her from me."
A short while later, Tord needs to travel, and requests that Even take care and help out of the heavily pregnant Karen while he's gone. It is during this time where Karen and Even begin to become close to one another again. Even wants to impress Karen, and takes up surfing with the intention of participating in a local tournament. It is here where he meets Skip (Kim Bodnia). Skip is a retired surfer, and was apparently extremely talented. One problem is that Skip is gruff, aloof, and reluctant to train an adult. Even manages to convince Skip to teach him how to surf, whilst he develops a relationship with Karen. Skip also gradually warms up to Even.
In one of the more enigmatic scenes in the film, Tord calls Karen and tells her that he will not return to Norway
. Even sympathizes with Karen, but secretly rejoices. However, Tord unexpectedly returns one day. To make matters worse for Even, the tournament is cancelled due to inclement weather conditions. It turns out that a huge, monstrous wave is expected. Even, lamenting the fact that his life was rather shiftless and uneventful, decides to risk his life and ride the wave during the storm. He goes out to the shore the night of the storm, and rides the wave, as an awe-struck Skip looks on. Unfortunately, Even loses his life as soon as the wave crashes down. Coincidentally, Karen is giving birth to a boy at the moment this is happening. Karen and Tord decide to name the child Even.
The final scenes shift back to Skip and the young boy, who happens to be Karen and Tord's son. The final scene shows a young Even riding a wave as his parents and Skip proudly look on.
Synopsis
The story begins as Skip (played by Kim BodniaKim Bodnia
-Movie career:He has appeared in several of the successful Danish films from the 1990s and 2000s, e.g. Nattevagten , Pusher, and Bleeder, the latter two directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, and the two Lasse Spang Olsen films In China They Eat Dogs, Old Men in New Cars and Terribly Happy.Bodnia has...
) is proudly telling a boy about the only surfer who rode a "monstrous" wave during a storm. When the boy asks when this happened, Skip answers that it was long, long ago....
The story now shifts to a remote coastal Norwegian town. The audience is immediately introduced to Even. Even is a carpenter who has an uncanny tendency for surviving violent situations with barely getting a scratch. He is well dressed but is lounging at a bar and appears unhappy. We later learn that he is the best man for his best friend's wedding, Tord (played by Christian Skolmen
Christian Skolmen
Christian Skolmen is a Norwegian actor who has been part of the Nationaltheatret since 1995, where he has appeared in The Pretenders , the Three Musketeers and Bakkantinnene...
). He arrives late with the rings, but Tord forgives him and the wedding ceremony goes under way. From the ceremony to the reception, Even behaves tense and awkwardly. The audience finally learns some background information when Even is asked to give a speech; during that speech, he recounts how he met the bride, Karen (Silja Salomonsen) in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. They returned to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and married. Then Karen met Tord, Even's more successful and athletic best friend, divorced Even, and married Tord, eventually becoming pregnant with Tord's child. As he says all of this, he creates an awkward moment for the guests. Tord confronts Even for his daring monologue, but Even simply says "You stole her from me."
A short while later, Tord needs to travel, and requests that Even take care and help out of the heavily pregnant Karen while he's gone. It is during this time where Karen and Even begin to become close to one another again. Even wants to impress Karen, and takes up surfing with the intention of participating in a local tournament. It is here where he meets Skip (Kim Bodnia). Skip is a retired surfer, and was apparently extremely talented. One problem is that Skip is gruff, aloof, and reluctant to train an adult. Even manages to convince Skip to teach him how to surf, whilst he develops a relationship with Karen. Skip also gradually warms up to Even.
In one of the more enigmatic scenes in the film, Tord calls Karen and tells her that he will not return to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Even sympathizes with Karen, but secretly rejoices. However, Tord unexpectedly returns one day. To make matters worse for Even, the tournament is cancelled due to inclement weather conditions. It turns out that a huge, monstrous wave is expected. Even, lamenting the fact that his life was rather shiftless and uneventful, decides to risk his life and ride the wave during the storm. He goes out to the shore the night of the storm, and rides the wave, as an awe-struck Skip looks on. Unfortunately, Even loses his life as soon as the wave crashes down. Coincidentally, Karen is giving birth to a boy at the moment this is happening. Karen and Tord decide to name the child Even.
The final scenes shift back to Skip and the young boy, who happens to be Karen and Tord's son. The final scene shows a young Even riding a wave as his parents and Skip proudly look on.