Aki Kaurismäki directs Kati Outinen, Kari Väänänen and Markku Peltola in this Finnish arthouse drama where a middle aged married couple struggle with being suddenly jobless during a recession.

Cheery isn’t a word you would immediately associate with Kaurismäki but this one is particularly depressing for a long haul. A Ken Loach plot done in his unique deadpan tone. The simply composed unmoving camera creates some wonderfully vivid moments, the stillness lets every gesture, line and development marinate into you. Not fun, yet not cynical. Kati Outinen expresses so much with so little here. I’m still getting used to this director – cute dogs, cinema trips, restaurants as heaven. I like him more and more with every new film. Though I had strong deja vu with some of these scenes. Late night after the pub in the nineties no doubt?

7

Perfect Double Bill: Raining Stones (1993)