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.

These flawed humans all make an indelible impression.

"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.

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.