The Art of Negative Thinking

Gard is Marta's self-absorbed boyfriend who carries guilt after the accident. He drinks, avoids vulnerability, and struggles with the idea of change. Through the group, his defenses begin to crack as he confronts his role in the accident and learns to engage with others more honestly.

Geirr is a 33-year-old man paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident, living in bitterness and dependence on his wheelchair. He drowns his pain in alcohol and marijuana while his wife Ingvild tries to keep things together. He questions the group's relentless positivity and pushes for conversations about pain that don't pretend everything can be solved.

Marte is a quadriplegic who has been through a climbing accident. She is part of the group and brings a perspective shaped by vulnerability and resilience. Her presence helps others see how disability reshapes identity and relationships and how honesty can coexist with care.

Asbjørn is a stroke survivor wrestling with buried anger and frustration. He challenges others to speak plainly and confront uncomfortable truths. His candor helps loosen the group’s defenses and invites more open dialogue.

Lillemor is an older, divorced woman who voices frequent complaints and worries about aging. She uses humor and blunt honesty to cut through polite talk. Through the group, she reveals deeper fears about belonging and loneliness.

Ingvild is Geirr's devoted wife who does everything to hold their world together. She signs up for the positivity group hoping it might redraw their future and offers strength while also confronting her own needs and limits.

Pizzbud is a group member whose presence adds quirky humor and a blunt, occasionally irreverent voice. He participates with a mix of lightness and underlying struggle that some group members miss at first.

A police officer who appears in the group’s world, providing a grounding presence and a sense of order. He interacts sparingly but helps set the tone for how the group navigates boundaries and safety.