The "gay" father scene

[Wolfchild]

Explains why for any job interview, male applicants are highly advised to have a clean shave.

Yup. Also, a clean shaven face has a youthful connotation - something you usually want to project in most job interviews.

[TΛPETRVE]

I've been wearing a goatee since the day I was born .

[kirkesque]

Never had a problem with the goatee in interviews. Up until the time I lived in Chicago a few years ago, I'd only ever had 1 interview in which I didn't get the job.

When I had shoulder-length hair, however ... that was a problem at times. Now that it's almost waist-length, it's outgrown being a problem.

[gareth1971]

It's a sad refelction of todays values, that I didn't get a permanent job until I cut my long hair off in 1994.

I don't think the James Hetfield moustache really helped matters much either

[TΛPETRVE]

When I'm working at the hospital, I also have to either wear long sleeves or put a bandage on my forearms in order to conceal the cut and burn scars.
At least I don't have any tattoos (yet) .

[Balb Kubrox]

When I'm working at the hospital, I also have to either wear long sleeves or put a bandage on my forearms in order to conceal the cut and burn scars.
At least I don't have any tattoos (yet) .

Precisely why I orginally got tattoos.

[kaonto]

This is an old thread that went way OT and then died, but I can't let this go:

As a small detail about the drinking buddy, Janne... I don't know how much you've discussed him, it's mentioned in detail in the book, but he is also mentioned in the movie when the alcoholics in the restaurant discuss the new man sitting in the corner drinking finishing his milk (Eli's feeder).

"He has moved into Janne's old apartment."
Yes, the same Janne that now lives next to Oskar's father out in a rural area. An old drinking buddy that probably hung around drinking with those bums in the restaurant, as they apparently knew him. Apparently, he moved out to the same area when Oskar's father separated with his mother (for obvious reasons).

Coincidence, pure happenstance. Janne is a very common name in Sweden (at least for that generation, the youngest Janne I know is 38). And although the distance between Blackeberg and Södersvik isn't that great on the map, I find it unlikely that you'd move out there just to follow your "drinking buddy". If they were gay lovers maybe, who used to be next door neighbors... Maybe they were tapping in morse-code to each other at night through the wall... nah, I'd stick with coincidence that they shared the same name.

[intrige]

"E.R.I.K? A.R.E Y.O.U A.W.A.K.E?"
"Y.E.S J.A.N.N.E I A.M"

[DMt.]

It was clear to me that Oskar was pissed off about the drinking-buddy's arrival, but I admit I also wondered if there was something gay going on. It is after all a very uncomfortable scene indeed.

[babyboi102909]

I've been waiting a long time for a long time to sound off on this topic. This scene has nothing to do with culture. I'm going to be completely blunt here and I hope I do not offend anyone by saying this, but here's my opinion on the whole idea that Oskar's dad is gay---it's complete and utter bull crap! Here's the way I see the scene. Janne comes over as everyone knows. he sits down beside Erik. What is wrong with that? Just because two men sit beside each other does NOT make them gay. Also, the grin on his face indicates to me that he is a complete idiot drunk who is waiting for some more booze. I have heard some people say that he looks at Oskar in a strange way. That too is a very presumptuous idea. He---again--- has the idiotic expression I mentioned before Again, that does NOT mean he is gay or wants to do anything inappropriate with Oskar. He is looking around waiting for the booze. When he says, "So, you did have something" or whatever it was he said it should have automatically told people that he came for booze and possible small-talk with his DRINKING BUDDY. Tomas Alfredson himself said he thought it was strange that people would even think that. call me crazy, but to me, it's quite obvious that janne and Erik are NOT lovers. I guess people think men aren't supposed to smile at each other or sit next to each other unless they are gay. I never got the impression they were lovers. That idea is just plain stupid. If i offend anyone, I'm sorry that is just my take on it. Not all men hide there emotions. Janne was a drunk happy to get some booze. End of story!