Ansa (Alma Pöysti) and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) are two lonely souls portrayed in a gloomy, stark and industrialized Helsinki. Ansa meets Holappa at a karaoke bar full of strange “out of the ordinary” people. In fact the film is full of distracted out of place people in equally stark and bizarre settings. The music throughout is about heartbreak and love.
Both characters are in their 40’s in the autumn of their lives. The leaves of Helsinki are rapidly falling dead to the ground. Ansa and Holappa are trapped in a swirl of negativity and as their lives go they may as well be fallen leaves. If the radio is not playing heartache music it is blaring out the incessant missile attacks against Ukraine a reminder the viewers that this quasi-fantasy film has connection to reality. Finland borders Russia and has repeatedly closed its borders due the flood of migrants transported to the Finnish border by Russia in a bid to disrupt Finnish society.
Holappa is caught in the throes of alcoholism as after all he labels himself depressed and drinking because of that condition. And he is terminated twice from his job for drinking on the job.
Holappa and Ansa have their first date at a retro theatre playing a retro zombie movie. Rather suiting for two characters that have a deadening zombielike existence. And Ansa dumps him after seeing his hip flask in action. Her father and brother died of drink and her mother of grief so she wants no drunk in her life.
Holappa and Ansa reunite after Holappa gives up drink and on his way to meet Ansa he is struck down by a tram. How much more depressing can a film get? The chances of a romance are mighty slim you think.
Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
Currently in theatrical release in Canada.
Directed and written by Aki Kaurismäki.
RKS 2024 Film Rating 92/100.
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 