|
THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST Send This Review to a Friend
A high point at the 2002 New York Film festival was Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki's "The Man Without a Past," a delightful satirical comedy that sheds light on aspects of Finnish society by following the fortunes of a man who is robbed and brutally beaten, then rises from a hospital bed after being judged dead and wanders about without memory of who he is.
This may be he director's best work to date, certainly the most accessible, and it was one of the foreign film nominees at the 2003 Oscar ceremony. We follow the story of the amnesiac (Markku Peltola) and his exploits, including falling in love with a Salvation Army worker (Kati Outinen). The film introduces us to various sides of Finnish life, including generosity, bureaucracy, crime and clever ways to survive.
A jaunty spirit permeates the attitude of the protagonist, whose relationship with the woman whom he loves is sensitively expressed. There are wonderful scenes between them, with the acting at a high level. Kaurismäki has always shown humor in his films, and this one is rich in droll situations and dialogue. There is wit in the philosophical approach the amnesiac takes to life, which turns out to be a process not only of finding out who he is but who he would like to become. This Finnish import is extremely entertaining and deserves to be counted among the year's best. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
|