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thompsoe
Reviews
Äideistä parhain (2005)
A Masterpiece On What It Really Means To Have Family
Could you ever part with your child due to war? How would you maintain a sense of hope? Klaus Haro's film, Mother Of Mine, depicts an honest and heart wrenching portrayal of the separation of families in Finland during WWII when over 70,000 children were evacuated to neighboring neutral Sweden. For one family, young Eero, played by Topi Majaniemi, is separated from his mother Kirsti, played by Marjaana Maijala, soon after the death of his father and placed with a rural family in Sweden. The host couple, Signe and Hjalmar, played by Maria Lundqvist and Michael Nyqvist, is unprepared for Eero as Signe was secretly hoping to host a young girl, as their daughter drowned only two years before. As Eero misses his mother in Finland, he bonds quickly with Hjalmar much to the immediate dismay of Signe. However, when Eero's mother's situation in Finland suddenly changes, Signe is asked to raise Eero as her own son, prompting a heart rendering attachment that is too good to last.
One of the key themes throughout the film is the fluidity and construction of family. Initially, the audience witness Eero's family as three: father, mother, and son. Quickly after the war enters Finland however, Eero's father leaves to join the military and dies in combat. Eero's mother, Kirsti, heartbroken and distraught, then has to abandon her only son and stay alone in Finland. Within the first 20 minutes of the film viewers watch Eero's family shatter into fragmented pieces. When Eero arrives in Sweden he is given a "host mother and father" who act as replacements for the parents he left back home. Eero bonds more quickly with Hjalmar as his father has passed and Hjalmar effectively takes on that fatherly role. Signe, however, remains distant as she mourns the loss of her child and in effect, so does Eero as he still has a mother back in Finland. Over time, Eero loses contact with his birth mother and begins to let Signe into his life and she ultimately does the same. Soon, Eero interacts with Hjalmar and Signe as his parents and they treat him as their son. Family roles become fluid for both parties and the construction of family changes for each party as they need it to.
Another unique theme to this film in particular is the dynamic role of language and with it, communication. Mother Of Mine is an example of a film co-production as both Finnish and Swedish languages are utilized. While this draws in a wider Nordic audience, it creates an initial barrier between the characters, as they cannot communicate with each other very effectively. Hjalmar is open to learning Finnish and attempts to memorize Finnish words in the government language book provided, but Signe insists that since Eero is in Finland, he must speak Finnish. By forcing Eero to learn Finnish, Signe puts up a language barrier between the two of them so that she does not have to communicate with Eero as she still mourns the loss of her daughter. When she is ready to accept Eero into her life as her own child, the language barrier between them is broken and she helps instead of criticizing him in his language skills.
A final theme centers on the loss of loved ones, most importantly family members. As stated previously, Eero lost his father in the war and Signe and Hjalmar's daughter drowned. Both parties are hesitant to let someone new into those previously lost family roles, but as their relationships develop all three experience what it means to love again. For Eero and Signe, this mother-son relationship becomes a permanent attachment despite some 60 years apart. Later in life Eero tells his birth mother, Kirsti, that she stopped being his mother as soon as he returned to Finland as Signe had taken over that role. It is only upon reflection many years later at Signe's funeral that Eero realizes his love for both his mothers, despite his loss of each one of them at one point.
Haro has created a masterpiece with Mother Of Mine and viewers will not be disappointed. Not only is the cinematography stunning, but the soft musical tones and panoramic silences transport audiences back in time. Maria Lundqvist gives an incredible performance as Signe and I hope to see young Topi Majaniemi's face in many future Finnish films. Audiences worldwide will experience true emotion with this film and find connections with it that will tug at one's heartstrings. American cinema has a thing or two to learn from this work of art and I look forward to watching more Haro films in the future.
Mies vailla menneisyyttä (2002)
An Amnesiac+50's Rock n' Roll+A Dog Named Hannibal=Deadpan Humor
What do you get when you combine an amnesiac, a dog named Hannibal, and 1950's rock n' roll? A classic Aki Kaurismäki film. The Man Without A Past, starring Markku Peltola and Kati Outinen humorously portrays Finnish life and focuses on issues of masculinity, homelessness, urban vs. rural life, and most importantly, the Finnish working class. M, played by Markku Peltola, travels into the city to find work, only to be beaten up by a group of thugs and wakes up in a hospital unable to remember who he is or where he came from. He escapes the hospital to the outskirts of society and manages to secure a metal container to live in and meets Irma, played by Kati Outinen, at a Salvation Army dinner where she is employed. She helps secure him a job and the two quickly develop feelings for one another just as M's past life catches up with him.
Kaurismäki's films typically include characters of the working class and again in Man Without A Past this is a primary theme. Honest depictions of the working class are of great importance to Kaurismäki as his father was a salesman and he grew up as part of that economic class. He chooses to shoot films in his realm of expertise, which make for realistic portrayals of Finnish society that often stir up a great deal of commentary from Finns and viewers abroad. Throughout the film different working class positions are brought to the forefront in a direct attempt by Kaurismäki to show what daily Finnish life and its struggles for many of the film's characters is really like.
This connects to the second main theme in the film: homelessness. M first finds housing in an area where many homeless people gather and once he has gained employment he works to give back to their community for which he feels he is a strong part of. In the U.S. many homeless visit churches to receive food, clothing, etc. but in Finland there is a very strong presence of the Salvation Army and Kaurismäki places it in the film to not only highlight its important role in Finnish society, but to also avoid any religious connections. As a western film viewer watching this film for the first time, I was unaware of these connections and many more, but after doing some background reading I was able to further connect with the film and pick up more nationalistic elements along with Finnish cultural and societal traits.
For example, the third theme of urban vs. rural life is a focal point of the film and was something I did not pick up on during my first viewing of the film. Travel from a home in the rural setting to work in the urban setting is a daily routine for many Finns and so there is a strong connection for Finns when they see M boarding the train in the beginning of the film as it acts as a physical and symbolic connection between the two realms. For foreign viewers like myself, I initially thought nothing of it and it wasn't until I did further reading and watched the film again that I "saw" the film from a more focused perspective.
A final theme, which can be found in several Kaurismäki films, is masculinity. Kaurismäki is known to cast men in the leading roles and have women there as support characters to allow his films to take the shape of "male dramas." These are films in which the male lead is considered heroic in some way and he is struggling to find himself and discover who he truly is, what is his purpose, etc. The Man Without A Past is a classic example of the male drama as we watch M uncover who he is without the baggage of a past. With his memory loss he can choose who we wishes to be solely on what is happening "in the now" and when his past catches up with him he is finally able to put it behind him and become the man he now wishes to be.
The Man Without A Past is a wonderful Finnish film that will make you laugh and at the same time, question the economic structures around you that you may have not realized were there. If you are a foreign viewer like myself, I recommend doing some background reading on Kaurismäki so as to better appreciate his film techniques and where he is coming from as a director. In addition, basic knowledge of Finnish cultural society definitely adds to the humor of the film. Many awkward romance scenes and their lack of dialogue will suddenly become hysterical. If you do not see it as a comedy the first time, do some quick background reading and watch it again; you will not be disappointed!
deUsynlige (2008)
A Film About Second Chances
How do you move on from the loss of your child? Do you think it's possible to if they were taken away from you and you never got to say goodbye? The film Troubled Water, directed by Erik Poppe, deals with the issue of child murder and the struggles of a mother to move on when the child's killer is released early from prison. Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen plays Jan Thomas, the young man who was convicted of murdering Agnes's (Trine Dyrholm) young boy, even though he adamantly maintains he is innocent. He is released from prison early on the condition that he interview for an organist position at a neighborhood church in Oslo. During his time in prison Agnes and her husband Jon (Trond Espen Seim) have adopted two young girls and are getting ready to move to Denmark. Quickly after his release and employment at the church, Jan falls for Anna (Ellen Dorrit Petersen) the church pastor and bonds with her young son Jens (Fredrik Grøndahl). However, fate intervenes when Agnes takes her class on a field trip to the church where she recognizes Jan, who has decided to go by his middle name Thomas to avoid recognition from the public eye. This climactic event spirals into the unraveling of Agnes's focus and forward progress as she becomes determined to get Jan to confess to the murder of her boy and keep him away from Jens as she fears his life will end in the same tragic fate as her son's.
The biggest theme found throughout the film is that of faith. It is physically present in the form of the church where Jan finds a job as an organist. His position in the church provides a paradox to Anna's, as she is the church pastor and embodies faith whereas he claims he has no faith. His role becomes one of confession between himself and Anna and he finds he can slowly open up to her. Eventually this confessional role extends to Agnes when Jan finally confesses how her son died. Along with faith and confession is the importance of (self) forgiveness and atonement. I think Poppe purposefully placed Jan within the realm of religion so he could come to terms with his past actions and find some sense of atonement and peace with his life.
Another component of Jan's lack of faith is baptism. Water becomes a second theme in the film and is heavily linked with baptism in multiple scenes. In the pinnacle scene when Agnes recognizes Jan in the church her class is learning about baptism, which Jan has never received. This sets up a final scene again with Jan and Agnes when they are in the same river with Jens where Agnes's son died. Here we witness Jan's confession to Agnes and his "rebirth" and baptism in the water as the two of them work together to save Jens from drowning. Beyond baptism, water is also used in the film as a marker of life and death. Agnes's son dies in the river just as Jan is given new life in the same river.
Another crucial theme in the film is that of the outsider. Jan becomes the first obvious outsider in the film, as he is outcast from society when he is ruled guilty of committing a crime. When he returns to society the film focuses on his struggle to reintegrate back into society as a member and no longer an outcast and the church becomes a symbolic place for him to be welcomed. The second, less obvious outsider in the film is Agnes, as she is still struggling years later to find peace in her life and remain in the present with her family. She constantly finds herself reflecting back on her son's death, which pulls her away from her family into isolation and despair.
A final theme of the film is music, specifically hymnals. Poppe made a purposeful move in the plot to have Jan learn to play the organ while in prison. The organ represents the church so it is appropriate that Jan uses the organ to discover and express his search for atonement. By learning to play in prison, Jan is given a second chance at life. The specific hymnals played in the church are very significant to Jan's quest for atonement. When Jan is asked to demonstrate his organist skills for the visiting children he decides to play "Bridge Over Troubled Water." This song is about forgiveness and it becomes a very symbolic scene in the film, as Jan is not only playing for children, he is also playing for Agnes. The children here symbolize Agnes's lost son whom Jan seeks forgiveness from, as they are there to witness his revival and rebirth as a changed man.
Overall, this was one of the most powerful Norwegian films I have ever seen. Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen and Trine Dyrholm were cast perfectly for their roles and delivered stunning performances. I left the film screening in awe of the beautiful cinematography and flashbacks, in complete amazement of how this compelling storyline was brought to life. The only disappointment I had with the film is the lack of explanation for why Jan kidnapped Agnes's son. However, sometimes the best films leave viewers with more questions than answers and this is definitely true for Troubled Water. I look forward to seeing more Poppe films in the future.
Elling (2001)
Elling: My favorite Mamma's Boy
This comedic story centers on the lives of two middle-age men, Elling, played by Per Christian Ellefsen and Kjell Bjarne, played by Sven Nordin, who have recently been released from a state institution after two years and are being placed back into society in Oslo, Norway. Elling has previously led an extremely sheltered life for 40 years in an apartment with his mother up until her death. Dizziness and anxiety are his two main enemies while engaging with the larger society and he initially struggles with everyday tasks such as answering the telephone and buying groceries at the supermarket. His roommate, Kjell, on the other hand, is a rather large and more out-going fellow who is woman deprived and sex-obsessed. While Kjell initially takes the lead engaging with society, Elling soon musters up his confidence and joins him with the help of their newfound friends: Frank (Jørgen Langhelle), their social worker, Reidun (Marit Pia Jacobsen), their pregnant upstairs neighbor whom Kjell takes a fancy to, and Alfons (Per Christensen), a famous poet whom Elling befriends. The duo discovers that not only can they take on the everyday challenges in society; they can master them! Director Petter Naess, whose other notable works include Absolute Hangover (1999), Only Bea (2004), and Mozart and the Whale (2005), derives his film direction from a theater background. One primary theatrical influence present in Elling (2001) is the use of "extended scenes," which is made possible by Naess extensively rehearsing with his actors. As a director, Naess is known for highlighting themes of mental illness and relationships, both of which are heavily present in the film. "Elling" received international success and praise, resulting in an Academy Award nomination.
The principal theme in the film is the formulation of relationships, resulting in an unconventional family unit first between Elling and Kjell, with the eventual addition of Reidun and Alfons. "Elling" highlights the growing national trend in Norway of the diffusion of new family formation patterns. The primary relationship is between Elling and Kjell who are first brought together as roommates at the state institution. They rely on their daily interactions and routine and become baffled at the obstacles ahead of them as they leave the institution together. The first major sign in Oslo of their undeniable dependence on one another, as well as their strong dislike of change, comes when they are shown their individual bedrooms within the apartment by Frank. Upon Frank's departure they immediately move their beds together into one room and place them in the exact same setup they had while living in the institution. A second relationship in the film develops between Kjell and Reidun, much to the immediate dismay of Elling. When Kjell starts spending more time in Reidun's apartment, Elling acts out in defiance as he feels that his close friend is moving on without him. Not wanting to be alone, Elling seeks companionship elsewhere in the poetry world, leading to his friendship with Alfons. Eventually, all four spend a weekend at Alfons's cabin, cementing their separate and combined relationships as an unconventional family unit.
The second theme in the film deals with societal independence and the overcoming of social uneasiness and anxiety it brings for Elling and Kjell. Part of their deal with Frank is that they must interact with society, which includes my favorite scene of Elling learning to answer the telephone. The two of them have to learn to break out of their "outsider" image and feel a part of society. This is done through the discovering of hobbies. For Kjell, his confidence shines as an auto mechanic, as he works to repair Alfons's vintage car. Elling gains confidence through his revelation as a poet, which leads him to go to a "poet's meeting" and later spread his poetry anonymously as the mysterious Poet E.
Poetry for Elling is a way for him to explore and eventually express the self, which becomes the third main theme of the film. Both lead characters struggle to release their emotions. When Kjell gets frustrated, usually because he can't talk to women, he bangs his head against the wall whereas Elling yells at others and at one point shakes Kjell's toolbox and has to be carried back to bed like a child in order to calm down. Their gradual gain of self-expression is primarily conveyed through cinematic techniques such as the comedic script, playful background music often in the form of carnival music, and "straight on" camera shots which lend to the portrayal of honesty of the two leads.
"Elling" draws attention to the formulation of friendships and makeshift families among strangers, societal independence and with that overcoming social uneasiness and anxiety, and the exploration of self-expression. These themes, along with Naess's simple yet efficient directing style, shed a much-needed light on the lives of institutional residents and their shift into society. The script lacks mention of clinical jargon, allowing the viewer to avoid immediate stereotyping and instead relate and sympathize with Elling and Kjell. In the end, "Elling" wins the hearts of its viewers by allowing its audience the opportunity to laugh with the characters and enjoy the breadth of humanity.