Show Me Love

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Show Me Love

1998

1h 29m

Drama

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

55 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Teens Elin (Alexandra Dahlström) and Agnes (Rebecca Liljeberg) are schoolmates. Elin is upbeat and popular, while Agnes is morose and friendless. And both girls are very frustrated with life. Elin dreams of fleeing their dull Swedish town. Agnes dreams of Elin. Though Agnes has never acted on her feelings, it's widely rumored she's a lesbian. But when Elin kisses Agnes on a cruel dare, it leads to an apology, a growing closeness between the girls and a plan to solve the problems of both.

Critics Consensus

A naturalistic depiction of teenage life, Show Me Love has a charming, authentic feel.

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Scott Tobias

AV Club

Mar 12, 2026

These details only serve to heighten the love story, which is triumphantly sweet in a way adult romances can never really be, perhaps because adolescent passion is so optimistic, unguarded by experience.

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

Mar 12, 2026

These flawed humans all make an indelible impression.

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Oliver Skinner

IndieWire

Mar 12, 2026

"Fucking Åmål" captures the bittersweet desperation of youth: a tragedy as it's in the midst of occurring yet such a comedy in hindsight. It's a totally endearing love story free of artifice — with an optimism rare for these sort of flicks.

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Gary Morris

Bay Area Reporter

Mar 12, 2026

Dahlstrom and Liljeberg strike just the right note in the leads, and director Moodysson gets points for keeping the atmosphere lively and for refusing to sensationalize or apologize for his surprisingly strong-willed, self-possessed young heroines.

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Erin Blackwell

Bay Area Reporter

Mar 12, 2026

All the cruelty of those uncertain rites of passage is guaranteed to come flooding back to you.

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Scott Heller

Boston Phoenix

Mar 12, 2026

Its final, triumphant jab at small-mindedness truly deserves to be called the feel-good ending of the year.

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Sam N

@RT61650855 Aug 5, 2024

Show Me Love captures teenage angst and awkwardness with charming authenticity. The wooden performances and predictably cliché plot offer a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Suppose you want to relive the cringe-worthy moments of adolescence. In that case, this film delivers it all with a touch of endearing clumsiness.

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Thee S

@RT96701086 Jun 28, 2023

Intimately executed movie about queerness, teenage life, and self discovery in a gloomy, boring, depressing, musty ass Scandinavian town.

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Apr 16, 2022

Not the best lesbian movie I have seen. But this was very realistic and bonus points for the happy ending that queer movies rarely get.

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Mar 30, 2021

A honest and realistic study of love and the teen years. It's refreshing to see teens actually portrayed as teens and ones who look the part as well (the two leads were 17 and 14 at the time of filming). This film is both heartwarming and touching, and I highly recommend it!

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Jan 25, 2021

I loved it the freshest movie I've seen in a while!

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Apr 2, 2017

To watch if you're still a teenager.

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Lukas Moodysson

Director

Alexandra Dahlström

Elin Olsson

Rebecca Liljeberg

Agnes Ahlberg

Erica Carlson

Jessica

Mathias Rust

Johan Hulth

Stefan Hörberg

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Synopsis

Teens Elin (Alexandra Dahlström) and Agnes (Rebecca Liljeberg) are schoolmates. Elin is upbeat and popular, while Agnes is morose and friendless. And both girls are very frustrated with life. Elin dreams of fleeing their dull Swedish town. Agnes dreams of Elin. Though Agnes has never acted on her feelings, it's widely rumored she's a lesbian. But when Elin kisses Agnes on a cruel dare, it leads to an apology, a growing closeness between the girls and a plan to solve the problems of both.

Director: Lukas Moodysson
Producer: Lars Jönsson
Screenwriter: Lukas Moodysson
Distributor: Strand Releasing
Production Co: Memfis Film & Television [se], Svenska Filminstitutet, SVT Drama, Sveriges Television, Det Danske Filminstitut, Film i Väst, Zentropa Entertainment
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: Swedish
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 3, 1998, Original
Release Date (DVD): Oct 3, 2000
Box Office (Gross USA): $220.0K
Runtime: 1h 29m
Sound Mix: Surround

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