The Health Journey (1999)

Director:
Lasse Åberg
Starring:
Lasse Åberg, Jon Skolmen, Anna Norberg, Magnus Härenstam, Ia Langhammer, Pia Johansson, Per Ragnar
Genre:
Swedish Comedy / Wellness
Rating:
Healthily refreshing in the winter darkness!

If you want to have a hearty laugh for an hour and 45 minutes, you should see "The Health Journey." It is healthily refreshing in the winter darkness. Stig-Helmer (Lasse Åberg) sits depressed on his sofa, but when his cheerful friend Ole (Jon Skolmen) visits, a glint appears in his eye—though he quickly returns to his sluggish ways once Ole is out of reach. However, he is noticeably cheered up by his new neighbor, the squirrel-eyed Rebecka (Anna Norberg).

A healthily refreshing film in the winter darkness! A survival course to remember.

Days are filled with water aerobics, mud wraps, tree-hugging, and meditation. When the day of the survival course arrives, everyone feels a bit nervous—except for Stig-Helmer, a former Boy Scout from the "Beaver" patrol. As Stig-Helmer and Ole paddle out of sight, word comes that the Vattenfall dams have been opened. It becomes a survival course that truly delivers!

Reviewed by Iva (December 1999)

Editor's Note (2026): It’s fascinating to see Iva embrace this lighthearted folk-comedy so warmly. Perhaps it was the 1999 vibes, or maybe Stig-Helmer reminded her that even the most serious archivist needs a laugh once in a while. Today, this film serves as a playful mirror to the more earnest health trends we explore in our Wellness department.

The Iva Bring-Johansson Collection Project

Originally produced as a weekly segment for HIT FM Stockholm, these reviews represent a lifetime of cinematic insight. Today, the archive is an evolving digital project, meticulously translating Iva’s original 1979–2021 work into English.

Our mission is to preserve this legacy while expanding our focus on Nordic Noir and Scandinavian Cinema. Stay tuned as we expand our reach into the shadows of the North.