Home (Heim), directed by Julie Skaufel, is a charming, if familiar, Norwegian romantic comedy that leans hard into small-town nostalgia, messy homecomings, and the pull of roots versus big-city ambition.
At 39, Anni (Hanne Skille Reitan) — a bubbly children’s TV personality known as “Amazing Annie” — has a spectacular public meltdown during a live broadcast. Fired, dumped by her slick Oslo boyfriend Isak (Leo Ajkić), and broke, she has no choice but to slink back to her mother’s house in Steinkjer, a modest town best known as a pit stop on the way north. What starts as a humiliating retreat slowly turns into a reckoning with her past, old flames (including childhood crush Erik, and loyal friend-zone pal Kjell Rune), lingering trauma, and the realization that “home” might not be so bad after all.
This is classic fish-out-of-water territory. The plot is predictable: big-city superficiality clashes with small-town authenticity; Anni regresses to teenage behavior around her mom; old friendships and romances resurface; and she confronts a personal tragedy tied to why she left in the first place. The story relies on clichés — the quirky locals, the supportive-yet-frustrating mother, the love triangle, and the inevitable “I was wrong about this place” epiphany — which can make it feel like a comfortable but well-worn formula.
Where Home shines is in its warmth, humor, and local flavor. Skaufel’s direction (her feature debut) brings energetic pacing, colorful visuals of the Norwegian countryside, and genuine laughs, especially in the slapstick opening and the easy, lived-in banter among the friend group. Hanne Skille Reitan is a standout — manic, vulnerable, and utterly believable as a woman hitting 40 and questioning her life choices.
In the end, Home delivers exactly what it promises: a light, heartfelt rom-com with local soul that will especially resonate with anyone who’s ever fled (or returned to) their hometown. It’s not revolutionary cinema, but it’s a cozy, entertaining watch — perfect for when you want something uplifting with a bit of bite.
Screening at the 2026 Hurtigruten Nordic Film Festival.
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