The Man Without a Past (Mies vailla menneisyyttä)
Directed by Ari Kaurismäki.
Starring Markku Pelyola and Kati Outinen.
Before I saw The Man Without a Past I had a vague idea of Kaurismäki as a depressing film maker portraying down-and-out alcoholics on the verge of ruin, as many Finnish directors seem to. Do I have to say I was in for a surprise? This film is so gentle and loving you leave the theatre feeling all fuzzy inside, but still in a spare, particularly Finnish way.
The main character is a man who is attacked and bashed so badly he almost dies in hospital. Because of this he loses his memory and has no idea of who he is and what he is actually doing in the little town he finds himself in. Thanks to his own inventiveness and other people’s generosity he manages to find himself a place to live and to furnish it with scraps from the town dumpster. The question that keeps haunting him and those around him is: who is he?
Ultimately The Man Without a Past is a film about love of life, the importance of friendships and making the best of any situation. And it also includes one of the most understated love stories I have ever seen. I recommend this film to anyone who can read subtitles.
Sol
