A good movie with a wonderful actor Stellan Skarsgård. and Lena Headey was excellent too. Hans Petter Moland did it well,but not as good as he did in " The beautiful country ".

A friend recommended this movie to me to get a glimpse of what modern life is like in Scotland. After watching it, I must say I wouldn't give the same recommendation. Very little of the movie has much to do with Scotland (probably because it was made by Norwegians, according to other posts) and the part it did show wasn't particularly flattering. It mostly left me wondering just how rampant gangs of clean-cut hooligans really are in Scotland.The title "Aberdeen" is a throwaway too. Yes, it's the final destination for the father/daughter combination, but virtually all of the movie takes place elsewhere. However, I was at a loss to suggest a better title. "Redemption" or "Reconciliation" are just as vague and even more bland.Several elements peg "Aberdeen" squarely as a foreign movie. First, there is a lot more nudity (both sexual and non-sexual) than a similar American movie would warrant. Second, the pacing is much slower than many Americans have the patience for. Finally, the ending has such a wrinkle that I felt relieved that I hadn't wasted a night watching this thing. I include this as a foreign element only because there had to be a reason for importing this movie here, outside of appeasing Stellan Skaarsgard fans.I won't reveal anything about the ending, since the surprise of it was the entire reason I enjoyed this movie. Had I already known what was coming, I probably would have enjoyed the acting and character development, but mostly felt like I wasted a night watching a really slow movie.

"Aberdeen" is a road trip of a father-daughter relationship. But with raw, uninhibited performances by Stellan Starsgard (as an alcoholic Norwegian oil rigger) and Lena Headey (with a thick Scotch brogue).Charlotte Rampling is a very effective deus ex machina mother bringing them together with a goal and a deadline, while Ian Hart is memorable as the nice, normal guy thrown into their war, helping to restore their sanity. One of the most romantic scenes I've seen in the movies in years is him simply wiping her brow, while the dad looks on uncomfortably.The route and fine details of this picaresque film are unpredictable, as they find Aberdeen and themselves. (originally written 8/31/2001)

A wonderfully written and acted, but depressing road trip movie. As a favor to her dying mother, a young woman must find her alcoholic father (played by Stellen Skarsgard, who is heart-wrenchingly convincing in the role), who abandoned them when she was a child. As they travel together, they must face both the past and present. But don't expect a Hollywood feel-good reunion movie, this is much more harsh and real.