[3] The Art of Negative Thinking was successful both domestically and internationally, with sales of 35,000 tickets in its Norwegian theater run and the highest-gross in Germany for any Nordic film during 2008.

A support group takes a van to visit a 33-year-old man named Geirr who was in a car accident that made him a paraplegic two years prior.

He tells his loving and devoted wife, Ingvild, how terrible his life is and is drenched in bitterness, spending his time drinking booze, smoking marijuana, and watching films based on the Vietnam War.

Variety's Alissa Simon commented that the film "includes some barbs directed at the Norwegian state, but the issues it addresses are universal.

These include how severe handicaps affect every aspect of daily life for the disabled and their loved ones — from frustrating physical challenges, through sexual and mental health, to fear of loneliness and dependency".

[10] She added that Breien "manages to sustain the darkly comic mood throughout, using acerbic dialogue [...] and cleverly chosen rock/country music extracts.

Ensemble cast is first-rate, with performances treading a delicate balance between naturalism and stylization, yet managing to engage viewers' sympathy by sidestepping easy stereotypes".

But the strong performances and Breien's wry glance maintain the dark energy and, most important, the healthy skepticism toward self-righteous cliches that posit denial as a method of healing".