Drifting Clouds (1996)

Well this is neither Italy in the forties or the fifties nor USA after the Great Depression though it could have happened there and then. Nor is this a neo-realistic movie made then by Visconti, Lattuada or De Sica though it sometimes looks like one. This is bright Finland of 1996 showing however its dark side too. Man and wife of a modest couple lose their jobs simultaneously and have to endure a lot of hardship trying to get employment again. Th story develops itself in a simple way without great flashes of style but it's true and human indeed with some touching episodes though not too melodramatic. The acting is not exceptionally good except in what concerns Kati Outinen whose face seems expressionless but whose marvellous eyes tell you everything that has to be said and is in her mind at every moment. Not a brilliant movie but quite an honest one and moving enough.

Fmovies: What I particularly like about this film are its colourful settings, suggesting a Helsinki less grey and damp as portrayed in other films. The screenplay, the acting and the directing are precise, which is the main reason why this sad story is really a comedy. The story is very clear and therefore not boring - a quality not applicable for every Kaurismäki film. Yet Ilona and Lauri's fate is surely not a classic example for what happens to Finn worker couples today, I think the bizarre surroundings underline the whole film's quirky and slightly absurd mood.

This is the best Kaurismäki film I've seen up to now.

Celebration for unacting! If you like movies where less is saying more - this is your movie. The wonderful positive attitude of people in difficult situations is something to learn from. Kati Outinen is great - again. She suits this movie perfectly. Kari Väänänen as her husband is the perfect Finnish hard working man whose life isn't a struggle but an art-form it self. Also Markku Peltola as a cook gives once again a memorable performance. The music moves the scenes into another level. Finnish melancholic tango in this environment makes almost a conflict between the things happening in the screen and the music. What a wonderful tribute to Matti Pellonpää.

Drifting Clouds fmovies. This colorful film from Finland's great director Aki Kaurismäki is a warm and passionate (note that passionate isn't the same in Finland as in Spain)story of two working class heroes, Illona and Lauri, with their dog and square life. They are content with their existence and are investing in new furniture and a big television set, all on a payment plan. Work is hard and they don't get much time for each other, but they have pride. Then both of them loose their jobs and their self respect with that. They're proud people and will not go on well fare. There's a economic crisis in the country and jobs are hard to find. They have to take really crummy jobs to survive but are cheated and also Lauri discovers his health isn't what it used to be. They have a few deep looks into the depth of the bottle and any signs of ever getting back are slim. Then Illona, motivated by an ex fellow worker gets a plan... This film is about survival and loss of self respect and the struggle to regain it. I find it very warm and positive. An exploration into the mind of northern Europe and the old values. A good worker needs no help, he stands tall on his own. Also the tango music in the film is wonderful in it's bittersweetness. It's a story of change, when the old reality has to be updated and the pain that can cause.

The movie has a feeling of sinking ship. Yes, you heard right. The setbacks which haunts the maincharacters are so cruel that only real life can do something like this to people. I happen to live quite close to places where this has made, and friend of mine wondered how Kaurismaki had found such a ruined places from Helsinki! This looks like some dirty streets in NY! The actors and actresses are magnificent. And the music has it's melancholic feeling of autumn as ever. Yes, definably this is something you should see.

I saw Drifting Clouds at a film festival, and I was truly blown away by the intense and true-to-life emotions this movie portrayed. Formerly being a Hollywood-action film kind of a guy, seeing Drifting Clouds has made me more open to artistic and especially foreign films. Director Kaurismaki is in my opinion one of the best directors in the world.