Plot Summary
A Somewhat Gentle Man (2011) Plot Summary Explained
- Release, runtime and language
- 2011 · 105 min · Norwegian
- Directed by
- Hans Petter Moland
After serving time in prison, Ulrik, a reformed gangster, is pulled back into a criminal world when he’s asked to settle an old score with a ruthless former boss. He finds himself navigating a bizarre situation involving a cast of unusual individuals, forcing him to confront his past and make a difficult choice about the life he wants to lead.
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Full plot summary · contains spoilers
What Happens in A Somewhat Gentle Man: Full Plot Summary
The whole story of A Somewhat Gentle Man (2011) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.
After spending a significant twelve years behind bars for the act of killing his wife's lover, Ulrik reenters society with the hope of starting anew. With the help of his former criminal associate, Jensen, Ulrik secures accommodation with his sister, Karen Margarethe, and gains employment as a mechanic at Sven’s repair shop. However, Jensen soon brings unsettling news: they have tracked down Kenny, the brother of Ulrik's victim, whose testimony had a significant role in Ulrik's incarceration. Jensen pressures Ulrik to avenge his imprisonment by eliminating Kenny, even providing him with a gun for this purpose. Despite Jensen's constant urgings, Ulrik stands firm, defiantly claiming, >“I won’t do it.”
As Ulrik attempts to reintegrate into his previous life, he rekindles his relationship with his ex-wife, Wenche, and makes contact with their estranged son, Geir. Geir, however, has misled his pregnant wife, Silje, into believing that Ulrik is dead, presenting Ulrik as merely an uncle upon their first meeting. During Ulrik's time at work, he develops a bond with Sven’s daughter, Merete, who is escaping the shadow of her abusive ex-husband, Kristian, through a restraining order. In a pivotal moment, Ulrik intervenes when he discovers Kristian attacking Merete, resulting in a brutal confrontation where he severely injures Kristian and warns him to never return. As Ulrik and Merete begin a relationship, he confides in Karen Margarethe about his new romantic interest.
Unfortunately, Ulrik's efforts to begin afresh soon spiral downward. Geir's revelation of Ulrik's true identity leads to complications with Silje, who does not want their child to have a grandfather with a criminal history. When Sven learns about Ulrik’s romantic involvement with Merete, he decides to dismiss Ulrik. Feeling cornered, Ulrik reluctantly approaches Jensen and agrees to finally confront Kenny.
With Jensen's meticulous strategy, Ulrik heads to Kenny's residence armed with the gun. However, instead of going through with his dark intentions, Ulrik engages Kenny in a conversation about the wasted years he spent imprisoned. Kenny reveals his perspective, explaining that his testimony was born out of the loss he suffered due to Ulrik's actions. He also discloses that he has been sending financial support to Ulrik's family over the years. Leaving Kenny unharmed, Ulrik then seeks out Geir but only encounters Silje, who is in labor and initially resists his entry. As her water breaks, Ulrik takes charge, aiding her delivery in Jensen's car during a frantic drive to the hospital. The arrival of their child prompts a reconciliatory moment between Geir and Ulrik, while Silje acknowledges Ulrik's role as a grandfather to their newborn.
However, when Ulrik later confronts Jensen about not fulfilling the contract to kill Kenny, he uncovers a betrayal regarding the payments supposedly made for his family. Jensen’s fury at Ulrik’s decisions culminates in a violent confrontation where Ulrik shoots him in rage. Ulrik then disposes of Jensen's body in the trunk of the same Mercedes involved in delivering Silje's baby, crushing it at the shop.
Ultimately, Ulrik shares with Merete the news of his new status as a grandfather, and in the final moments of the film, he cryptically states, >“It’s coming.” When Merete inquires further, Ulrik simply replies, >“Spring.” This poignant conclusion hints at renewal and the possibility of new beginnings amidst the shadows of Ulrik's past.
Last updated: September 28, 2026 at 10:55
Plot questions answered
A Somewhat Gentle Man Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered
The questions people ask most about A Somewhat Gentle Man (2011): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.
Q1 Why does Ulrik spare Kenny instead of killing him?
When Ulrik arrives at Kenny's home armed with a gun, he chooses to talk instead of shoot. Kenny explains that his testimony was driven by grief over his brother's death, and reveals he has been quietly sending financial support to Ulrik's family throughout the twelve-year sentence. Confronted with Kenny's humanity and remorse, Ulrik cannot bring himself to pull the trigger in A Somewhat Gentle Man.
Foreshadowing: Early in the film Ulrik tells Jensen, "I won't do it," signaling that his conscience will ultimately override Jensen's plan.
- ulrik
- kenny
- revenge
- spare
- testimony
- a somewhat gentle man
Q2 Why does Ulrik shoot Jensen at the end?
When Ulrik confesses that he did not kill Kenny, Jensen erupts in rage over the broken contract. Jensen also reveals he has been pocketing the money that was supposedly being paid out for Ulrik's family, exposing a years-long betrayal. The combination of Jensen's fury and the financial deceit pushes Ulrik to shoot him in a moment of uncontrollable anger.
Foreshadowing: Jensen's constant pressure and the staged delivery of a gun foreshadow that their relationship is headed toward a violent rupture.
- ulrik
- jensen
- shoot
- betrayal
- payments
- family
- a somewhat gentle man ending
Q3 Why does Ulrik eventually agree to confront Kenny?
Ulrik's attempts at a normal life collapse when Sven fires him for his relationship with Merete and Silje rejects him as a grandfather because of his criminal record. With his job, romance, and family bonds all falling apart, Ulrik runs out of options and finally gives in to Jensen's pressure to carry out the hit.
- ulrik
- kenny
- jensen
- pressure
- fired
- sven
- merete
Q4 What did Kenny reveal about the money sent to Ulrik's family?
During their confrontation, Kenny confesses that he had been quietly sending financial support to Ulrik's wife and son throughout the twelve years of imprisonment. The payments complicate the revenge narrative by showing Kenny carried his own sense of guilt and responsibility for the tragedy his brother caused.
Foreshadowing: Kenny's surprisingly calm demeanor when Ulrik arrives hints that he has long made peace with the situation.
- kenny
- payments
- ulrik family
- money
- guilt
- financial support
Q5 Why does Geir pretend Ulrik is dead to Silje?
Geir is ashamed of his father's criminal history and worries that Silje will reject the family if she learns the truth. Since Silje is pregnant and the couple is about to start a new chapter, Geir introduces Ulrik as an uncle rather than a father to protect his marriage. The lie eventually unravels when Geir finally confesses Ulrik's real identity.
- geir
- silje
- ulrik
- lie
- family
- identity
- pregnant
Q6 How does Ulrik end up delivering his grandson in the car?
After sparing Kenny, Ulrik drives to Geir's home to try to reconnect, but Geir is not there. Silje is alone and in active labor, and she initially refuses to let Ulrik inside. When her water breaks, Ulrik takes charge and delivers the baby himself in the back of Jensen's Mercedes during a frantic drive to the hospital.
Foreshadowing: The earlier tension between Ulrik and Silje sets up the moment where she has no choice but to trust him with her life and her child's.
- ulrik
- silje
- geir
- baby
- delivery
- labor
- hospital
Q7 What does Ulrik do with Jensen's body?
After killing Jensen, Ulrik loads the body into the trunk of the same Mercedes used to rush Silje to the hospital. He drives the car to Sven's repair shop and uses the crusher to destroy it. The act allows Ulrik to erase the physical evidence and symbolically crush the last violent ties to his criminal past in A Somewhat Gentle Man.
Foreshadowing: Ulrik's daily access to the shop's crusher establishes the means for the disposal long before the killing occurs.
- jensen
- body
- crusher
- mercedes
- repair shop
- dispose
Q8 What does the ending line "Spring is coming" mean?
After crushing Jensen's body and becoming a grandfather, Ulrik shares a quiet moment of optimism with Merete. On the surface, his line about spring signals renewal and a long-awaited fresh start. Given that he has just committed murder and hidden a body, the line also carries an ominous undertone, hinting that the cycle of violence in his life may bloom again.
- ending explained
- spring
- ulrik
- merete
- renewal
- cycle
- final scene
Q9 Why does Jensen want Ulrik to kill Kenny?
Jensen frames Kenny as the man whose testimony put Ulrik behind bars for twelve years, making him a target for revenge. By engineering the hit, Jensen keeps Ulrik bound to his criminal network and ensures the old score is settled on Jensen's terms. The plan also serves Jensen's financial interests, since he has been skimming payments meant for Ulrik's family.
- jensen
- kenny
- revenge
- ulrik
- testimony
- contract
Q10 Why does Sven fire Ulrik from the repair shop?
Sven discovers that Ulrik has begun a romantic relationship with his daughter Merete, who is still vulnerable after fleeing her abusive ex-husband. Protective of Merete and wary of Ulrik's criminal past, Sven dismisses him to keep his daughter safe. The firing removes Ulrik's last legitimate foothold in normal life and pushes him toward Jensen's plan.
- sven
- ulrik
- merete
- fired
- repair shop
- protective
Every angle
A Somewhat Gentle Man (2011) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters
Everything about A Somewhat Gentle Man in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.
- A Somewhat Gentle Man Timeline Every key event in chronological order, ideal for flashbacks and time jumps.
- A Somewhat Gentle Man Characters & Themes Who is who, where it takes place and what the movie really means.
- A Somewhat Gentle Man Spoiler-Free Summary What it is about and whether it is worth watching, without spoilers.
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