Hi. My name is Modulf.
That's Norse for "wolf" and "wrath".
But I'm not as dangerous as I sound.
Actually, I'm pretty nice.
I save everyone.
Frank and Jørgen are who I save everyone from.
Dumbulf, was that you?
I'm usually called something other than Modulf.
Answer me, garbage face!
Think that's your dad calling?
Jørgen knows my dad is dead.
Dad said real heroes protect the weak.
I asked if that was you!
First I have to act reluctant.
- What's this about? - What?
That skinny little face of yours pisses me off!
You make me sick!
Then I have to annoy them.
My face isn't skinny.
Stop it, guys!
Damn, my pants got dirty!
And my shoes!
You'll pay for this. Tomorrow!
I don't like it, but it's better that I get pestered than someone else.
Because I can handle it.
I'm actually a kind of… superhero.
HOMEWORK: WRITE ABOUT AN INVENTION
THE TOUGH GUYS
Once I was asked why I don't fight back.
But imagine if everyone who got picked on, fought back!
We'd end up with chaos.
Modulf?
Modulf! What happened this time?
It was totally awesome! I was playing football.
With all my friends. The score was 5-5.
And then I scored this incredible goal!
And all my friends cheered. Yeah!
And they carried me around.
Cool things seem to happen to you every day.
Aren't you happy that I do lots of cool stuff?
Sure. I just end up with so much laundry.
Listen, your birthday is next week.
Do you want to invite your friends?
Mom, I'll be twelve. I'm too old for birthday parties now.
OFFICE
DAYS OF MISSING
Hi!
Captain Hugo, at your service.
Easy, boy, we come in peace.
We're your new neighbors.
Hi! My name's Lise.
And you're Modulf?
Class 6B?
Then we're classmates.
Maybe we can walk to school together tomorrow?
No! She's the perfect bullying victim.
If Frank and Jørgen see me with Lise, she's as good as dead!
She asked if you want to walk to school together.
Modulf!
Let's say… eight o'clock?
13 hours and five minutes.
Yes, that's perfect.
Excellent! I'll see you then.
Shit, shit, shit…
Maybe everything will be fine.
Maybe they won't even notice her.
I'm OK!
Disaster!
If I'm going to save Lise, I'll need to wear my crisis clothes.
Hi!
- Hi… - I figured you wanted to be early.
- We agreed on eight o'clock. - I got up early today.
OK…
- What do you do here in Lillehammer? - The usual. A little of everything.
Listen…
- We have to talk. - About what?
- We shouldn't be seen together. - Don't you want to walk with me?
I do, but you should get to know the others instead.
- I'm friends with who I want. - Frank and Jørgen! Run!
Come on! It's some boys from school. They're dangerous.
- What are we doing? - It's a shortcut.
Come on!
- Got yourself a girlfriend, Dumbulf? - Your clothes are a perfect match.
We can wear whatever we want!
She's my new neighbor.
Hi, I'm Lise.
Did you do my homework about an invention?
Yes, the Swiss Army knife.
- His name wasn't Carl Elsener. - Huh?
Modulf made all of that up.
- You made it up? - No!
The inventor of the Swiss Army knife was called Swiss Army.
- Are you trying to trick us?! - No!
Just like Hank Snowboard and Linus Lego.
- It comes from the inventor's name. - Keep going.
Swiss Army loved chocolate, but…
Lise is completely nuts!
She clearly doesn't understand how dangerous Frank and Jørgen are.
Find your seats.
We have a new girl in our class. Applause!
Hi! My name is Lise, and I'm from Vinstra.
I have also lived in Japan, Switzerland and six months in Spain.
And I love mountain climbing. Guess how many mountains I have climbed?
You can ask me during recess. I have climbed tons!
Excellent. Not bad. Applause.
- Thank you! - I thought you could sit with Modulf.
Not bad, eh, Modulf? A new neighbor.
Here you go.
Have a seat. Excellent.
Wow, cool pants, Modulf!
I had the exact same pair when I went to school. Cool!
All right. Everyone has found their seats.
Time to hear from your homework.
Who would like to begin?
Who besides Modulf?
Any volunteers? Come on.
Watch this.
No one?
Frank!
What a rare treat! Go ahead, read.
Excellent.
"Swiss Army."
"Swiss Army was the name of the man -
- who invented the Swiss Army knife."
"He loved chocolate."
"But he found chocolate too hard to cut."
"So he invented a new chocolate called Swiss Chocolate."
"It was much softer and easier to cut."
Did you really do your homework, Frank?
Yes. He invented Swiss cheese, too.
He found out it was more airy with holes.
OK, that's enough. Calm down.
Let's take this from the beginning.
Switzerland… Let's see…
Tricked you!
Did you see Frank's face?
Success!
I'm kind of in a hurry.
Want to walk home together?
I think I have to go to the bathroom.
This is so serious we'll deal with it after school.
- Why not now? - This time it's about us.
We have a reputation to uphold.
After school, four-eyes is going to pay!
But it was my idea, not Lise's. She's innocent.
Any friend of Dumbulf's is an enemy of ours!
Real heroes protect the weak.
Could you wait for me out front? I forgot my gym shorts.
Mom goes bananas if I leave them at school.
Sounds just like my dad. I'll wait out front.
Are you looking for me?
Where's four-eyes?
- Her name is Lise. - Where is she?
I don't know, at home?
I once read about a boy who had Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome.
A disorder in which you can't feel pain.
Sometimes I wish I had that disorder.
Then I could just hang here and feel nothing.
- I bet he'll get a nosebleed. - You're on.
Come on. Mom's waiting with dinner.
Relax. We're thinking here.
All right. I bet he'll get a concussion.
Two against one is unfair.
- There she is! - Go away, Lise. I'll handle this.
I'm in full control!
I'm calling the police.
- You're squealing to the cops?! - No!
You expect me to let you torture him?
It isn't my fault you didn't get that I tricked you with your homework.
Let him go, or else…
OK!
- Just take it easy. - Yeah, take it easy, Lise.
- But we aren't done yet! - No one messes with us.
"No one messes with us." Boy, am I scared!
Just ignore her.
- Let's go, Lise. - Bye, chickens!
Sorry!
- You lost the bet. - Huh?
You saw he got a nosebleed.
You never should have done that!
No one has ever beaten up Frank before.
I didn't beat him up.
I used aikido to protect the two of us.
I learned it in Japan.
You have ruined everything!
- You'd prefer to get beat up? - Yes, actually.
Are you completely off your rocker?
You don't understand.
No, stupid Lise is just an ignorant girl from out of town.
The thing is…
The thing is what?
As long as Frank and Jørgen pick on me, -
- they stay away from the other kids.
That's how I protect the others.
So you think you're some kind of superhero?
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. You're nuts!
Totally brain dead.
That's called bullying, Modulf.
I happen to be protecting those other kids!
Modulf, I've told you not to come in here.
Dad always said -
- that real heroes protect the weak.
What did dad do when things didn't go as he had hoped?
Is something wrong?
No.
It's just that you never talk about him.
I'll tell you more when you get older.
Older? You always say that.
Look.
- I made invitations. - No, mom.
No one has birthday parties anymore.
All kids want to celebrate their birthday.
Are you coming?
- Have you seen Modulf or Lise? - No. Why do you ask?
See? When I'm not there, they pick on the others.
Look!
And there!
And again!
YOU'RE INVITED TO MODULF'S SUPER BIRTHDAY!
You get bullied. That's why you don't hand those out.
Because you know no one will come!
Stop it, guys!
Well?
Modulf, wait!
I was right, wasn't I?
- But I know what we can do. - About what?
- I have a plan. - What is it?
We're going to make you tough.
By Monday, you're going to be New Modulf.
New and tough. Almost as tough as these superheroes.
No, you have to fight back!
Like this.
Get it?
You have to overcome your fear.
I won!
Come on.
Keep it up. Keep it up.
Keep going.
Am I ready now?
Yeah, totally ready.
Am I ready now?
Not quite yet.
Good job!
Am I ready now?
Not yet.
Good job, Modulf!
Come on, Modulf. You can do it!
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
My favorite flavor.
Cheers.
It was nice of Hugo and Lise to invite us to Hunderfossen.
Maybe we should celebrate your birthday here?
I forgot to tell you, there's a big football tournament next weekend.
- Then we'll do it the weekend after. - Sure, maybe.
Don't give up. You're almost ready.
Yes!
Good job!
Now I'm ready!
No, not yet.
What? Still not ready?
No, we have to train a little more.
Forget it, I'm done with this!
Wait, Modulf!
No, Lise, stop bugging me. I'm done.
That's it!
- What? - The right attitude.
Huh? Attitude?
Were you just waiting for me to give up?
Or till you wouldn't be pushed around anymore.
I'll show you pushing around!
You just wait!
Don't mess with someone who knows every trick in the book!
I'll rub your hair in the grass till it turns green!
- Do you give up? - Yes!
Do you give up?
Yes! I give up.
You're pretty strong, for such a wimp.
- Oh no! - What?
I've lost my bobby pin.
Now you're ready!
Do you remember that?
It's at Hunderfossen. You were five.
That's one of the last things we did, before…
Before dad died.
You know…
You resemble him more and more.
He didn't like -
- heights, or crazy roller coasters.
Stop it, mom.
It's true.
You're lying. I know that dad was tough and brave.
Remember that aikido is only for self defense.
- Only use it as a last option. - I understand.
Yay!
Just walk right by them and act perfectly normal.
You think you can walk right by us?
- What is it? - Remember what your girlfriend did?
We can't just let you get away with that.
Do we have to drag you down to the bathroom, or what?
- Today you can't touch me! - Good, Modulf. You tell them.
That isn't up to you!
What was that?
Yes!
You're a freak, Modulf!
- You looking for trouble? - No.
What is this?
I just want you to leave me alone.
Oh no!
What's going on here?
He hit me! And threw Frank to the ground.
- No! - You hit them?
- No. I promise. I didn't hit him. - Are you a hitter?
- I was just standing here. - Are you OK?
- Are you OK, Frank? - Yes, I think so.
You know we don't allow bullying. We wrote that rule together.
But I'm not a bully!
- I didn't hit him! - Don't lie to me.
This better be the last time you do anything like this, Modulf.
Yes, principal.
Shake hands with Jørgen and Frank and apologize.
- Sorry. - Say it like you mean it!
Sorry, Jørgen.
Sorry, Frank.
Hey, guys. That was awesome!
You handled that perfectly!
Now the teachers think I'm a bully.
But you did great. I am so proud of you!
- Really? - Yeah. We just caught a bad break.
We need a new plan.
This plan is simple.
See to it that Frank and Jørgen bully you right here.
I'll be in the stall next door.
I'll film everything.
And we'll send the film to the principal and the police.
That will prove who the bullies are.
And best of all, the bullying will end!
Hi!
This is the story of David and Goliath.
Goliath was a giant, so big not even Jesus dared fight him.
David, on the other hand, was tiny but smart.
Come in!
Hurry to your seats! This is exciting.
- Goliath was a giant… - Quiet down!
Anyway, David was…
He was tiny, but smart. And he was a shepherd.
So he had a slingshot.
When he met Goliath…
- What just happened? - Frank threw something at Modulf.
Huh?
Stop that nonsense. Go ahead.
That was the story of David and Goliath.
Excellent! OK, who's next?
Where's your girlfriend?
- I don't know. - You're like two pods in a pea!
Well, she isn't here.
Are you trying to be funny? This is serious!
I don't know where she is.
I said: Where is Lise?
Just give me a swirlie and forget about Lise!
- It doesn't work like that, Modulf. - Where is Lise?
Go ahead and give me a swirlie and stop bothering Lise!
This is getting weird, Modulf.
Aren't you going to give me a swirlie?
Nope.
Stop it, guys!
What's going on here?
We're just three buddies in the bathroom together.
I see. But your hair is soaking wet, Modulf.
I just thought I'd slick it back.
Slick back… Boys never worried about their hair when I was your age.
So everything is OK, in other words?
I really need to…
What's all this sawdust?
The cleaners must have done a lousy job this week.
- There's a hole in the wall. - That's always been there.
I saw a red light.
I can see into the stall next door.
What the… Lise?!
Dad won't be happy when he hears about this.
We'll have to meet with the teachers and everything.
It was a lousy plan. Now those guys will never leave us alone.
It would have worked if you hadn't stuck your head in the toilet.
Who would do such a thing? Now we have nothing on them.
It wouldn't have worked anyway. Your plan sucked!
The plan would have worked if you had stuck to it!
Want to take the detour today?
Why?
- No point in asking for trouble. - Can't you handle resistance?
What do you mean?
You're becoming a chicken again. I refuse to let them pressure me.
Take the detour, chicken. Pretend nothing has changed.
But I refuse. Goodbye and thank you!
Please, Lise!
- Hi, Modulf. - Hi. Could I have a word with Lise?
She isn't home from school yet. Weren't you together?
No, not today.
If you see Lise, tell her dinner is in the microwave.
What happened to you?
What's it look like?
You're bleeding!
Frank and Jørgen were waiting in the woods, and…
Let me help you.
Lise, what happened to you?
- I fell on my bike. - Let me have a look at you.
Ow!
This has gone too far.
What has gone too far?
Those people who make crappy bikes and bike paths.
Let me get a first-aid kit.
Listen, I'll fix this. I won't be chicken anymore.
Modulf, wait.
Thanks for being such a good friend.
Modulf?
- You beat up Lise! - It wasn't just me!
Why didn't you beat me up instead?
As long as you're friends, they want us to go after her too.
Who are "they"?
Who are "they"?!
The others.
Sverre and those guys.
You're a freak, Modulf!
If I don't bully you, they'll bully me, like before.
It isn't very smart to hang out with you.
Was it better when you didn't have to share?
Now that the two of you are together, -
- you'll both get beat up.
Maybe you should break up with her.
Don't you agree, Frank and Jørgen?
So if I stop hanging out with Lise, -
- you'll leave her alone?
Bingo, Einstein.
Promise you won't hurt her?
If you do everything we say. And I mean everything.
Check it out!
Look at him!
Good job, Modulf! You're almost there.
What a goof!
Modulf! What do you think you're doing?
What is it with you?
You've gone from star pupil to bully. And now you're a…
Nudist! This must end now.
What's going on? Weren't you going to fix things?
Yeah…
I'm sick and tired of you and your plans!
- I thought we were friends. - You thought wrong!
Modulf, wait…
Get lost!
I'm sorry, Lise.
I had no choice.
They would have hurt you.
Look at Lise Friendless!
Sorry, Modulf, I didn't see you.
Modulf has to do whatever Frank and Jørgen tell him to do.
No matter what? Poor Modulf.
They'll just make him do worse and worse things.
Happy birthday to you…
Happy birthday, my hero.
Blow them out!
Excellent!
Here you go.
- You can write down your experiences. - Thank you.
And you can buy something for this.
Too bad your birthday crashed with that football tournament.
But you and I will make the most of it.
We could call Hugo and Lise.
You and Lise are such good friends.
I don't think so…
Who can that be?
This early in the morning?
It's Lise.
She says it's important.
You can't do this, Modulf.
Do what?
Don't you get it?
If you go back to the way it was, nothing will ever change.
I don't know what I'm doing here, since we're no longer friends, but…
But I want to be your friend, and friends help each other.
What are you talking about?
Tove…
Modulf would never tell you himself.
So I'll say it for him.
What?
Modulf gets bullied.
And he has for years.
Modulf gets bullied more than anyone else at school.
Is that true, Modulf?
I'm sorry. I wanted to be your friend.
Lise, you can leave now. Friends don't betray each other.
You know everything about betraying friends!
Why didn't you tell me?
Does this have anything to do with your father?
I know that you think your father was a hero.
But I just wanted to protect you.
Don't you remember what he was like?
That he was sad all the time?
What do you mean?
Your father…
He got picked on his entire life.
At school and at work.
And he was never able to fight back.
Eventually…
He couldn't take any more.
- You're lying! - Modulf…
I don't want to become like dad.
I don't want to be sad all the time.
- Can you take this for me? - What is it?
I've kept count of the days since dad died. Days I've missed him.
One star for every day that's gone by.
- Jørgen, I need you to do me a favor. - What?
Bring Frank, Sverre and the gang to the junk yard.
OK.
What's up?
OK.
Modulf wants to meet us.
Hello?
What's so important?
Who do you think you are? Super-Dumbulf?
I invited you here to let you know that it's over. No more bullying.
And if we disagree?
Then I'll have to force you.
Modulf?
Ever since second grade I've thought I was a hero. A superhero.
I saved everyone here from being bullied by Frank and Jørgen.
I saved every one of you.
I saved you and you and you.
But…
But lately I have realized -
- that no one deserves to be bullied, no matter what.
I'm no superhero.
Everyone here knows I was bullied by Frank and Jørgen.
I thought they were tough.
But they bully to avoid being bullied themselves.
By Ali, Arne and Sverre.
They're the ones who make Frank and Jørgen pick on me.
You're the leader of the gang, aren't you?
You decide if I should be beaten, swirlied or hung from a tree.
We played together in kindergarten, Sverre. We were friends.
We were all friends.
Why can't it still be like that?
Everyone should be friends.
You'll always be a loser, Dumbulf!
Modulf! Modulf!
That was about time!
Look out! Behind you!
Modulf!
Modulf, wake up!
I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!
Modulf!
Thank you.
You may no longer want to be my friend.
But don't ever say that I let you down.
I have always done what's best for you.
Even after you pushed me away. I have always supported you.
But when I needed a friend, after those idiots beat me, -
- you weren't there, Modulf.
I never want to be your friend again!
And I didn't come here because of you.
I came to find my bobby pin.
You can go to hell, as far as I'm concerned!
- Wow, you are tough! - To say what you said…
Thank you.
Way to go, Modulf!
Good job!
Good job, Super-Modulf!
This is for you.
Do you think many will come?
I don't know. I doubt it.
Are many invited?
Only one.
Someone who was a real hero for me, when I needed it most.
Even though I couldn't be the same for her.
We need to get to class.
OFFICE
Watch out!
He'll like that spot.
Hi. My name is Modulf.
That's Norse for "wolf" and "wrath".
But I'm not as dangerous as I sound.
I used to think that I was helping everyone else.
But I was the one that needed help the most.
I just didn't realize it until a real hero came to my rescue.
- Hello! - Hi! Great that you could come.
Not bad, for a wimp.
Are you ready?
One, two, jump!
THE TOUGH GUYS
Subtitles: Nick Norris