Nominerade

Foreign language film:

• “Toni Erdmann,” Germany (storfavorit) 
• “The Salesman,” Iran
• “A Man Called Ove,” Sweden |
• “Tanna,” Australia |
• “Land of Mine,” Denmark |

The 2017 Oscars will take place on Feb. 26 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles 

Like Bill Murray in “St. Vincent” and Jack Nicholson in “About Schmidt,” Rolf Lassgård’s title character in “A Man Called Ove” is a curmudgeonly retiree whose lonely life takes an unexpected turn.

It’s a time-honored template, but one that nevertheless still works magic with the right actor and carefully balanced tragicomic tone as demonstrated with this Swedish submission for best foreign-language Oscar consideration.

Put out to pasture after working 43 years for the same firm, Lassgård’s testy Ove occupies his days policing his neighbors and visiting the grave of his recently departed wife.

Even in the throes of depression, this “nit-picking obstructionist,” as one character sums him up, still remains tethered to his prickly principles — he’s the kind of person who demands a refund for the rope that broke during one of his several suicide attempts.