Dead pan Finnish romantic comedy consisting of detached emotions. Unremarkable people unremarkably finding each other and falling in love. The typical love story, but told in Kaurismäki’s unemotional fashion. The main love story is two characters floating through modern life only to find a person that gives them a semblance of a life. Meaning. It’s not the basic plot that makes Kaurismäki a fascinating watch, its the uncomfortable space of his worlds in camera.
Jussi Vatanen wanting to kill himself over his alcoholism confronted by Alma Pöysti, forcing him to choose between his addiction and her. It’s people unable to escape their reality until finding isolation in someone else. Kaurismäki confronts modernity through the study of these two and their inability to hold down jobs and the detachment required to survive. The thematic layer is ever-present, and Kaurismäki continually holds scenes on faces, directing the audience to stare at this sort of modern despair. Vatanen’s expressionless face and unmovable attitude compliment the silence of Kaurismäki.
As he searches around the room for close-ups, capturing expression without meaning outside context. It’s a fascinating way to approach exposition and worldbuilding and is a constant is Kaurismäki’s style. The box aperture also aids the style of film and makes the specificity of Kaurismäki’s lighting approach look so dramatic. Despite a rather bland story, Kaurismäki amazingly creates visual intrigue and keeps us engaged in these characters. At 80 minutes, the runtime works because anymore time in this dour world would be too much.
Rating: ☆☆☆½ (84)
Verdict: fairly weird
Weird Cinema 