Haarautuvan rakkauden talo (The House of Branching Love) (2009)

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A marriage gone sour turns into an increasingly strange game in this comedy from Finnish director Mika Kaurismaki. Juhani (Hannu-Pekka Bjorkman) is a family counselor and Tuula (Elina Knihtila) is a professional consultant; they've been married for years, but their relationship has gone stale… More A marriage gone sour turns into an increasingly strange game in this comedy from Finnish director Mika Kaurismaki. Juhani (Hannu-Pekka Bjorkman) is a family counselor and Tuula (Elina Knihtila) is a professional consultant; they've been married for years, but their relationship has gone stale and they decide it's time to split up. Juhani and Tuula believe they're intelligent and mature enough to share their home while the divorce plays itself out, but one night Juhani's friend Pekka (Tommi Eronen) urges him to take advantage of his new freedom, and Juhani picks up a woman and brings her home. Tuula is quietly furious at this development, and deciding turnabout is fair play she begins dating a handsome airline pilot (Ilkka Villi). Juhani doesn't want to be outdone, but when his pick-up turns out to be a one night stand, he has trouble finding a new girlfriend. Juhani's mother (Kati Outinen) and stepbrother (Antti Reini) run a call-girl ring, and though them he hires a hooker, Nina (Anna Easteden), to pose as his new significant other. However, things get messy in this escalating war of affection when a streetwalker working for Juhani's mom goes missing along with a large amount of cash. Haarautuvan Rakkauden Talo (aka The House Of Branching Love) was an official selection at the 2010 Cinequest Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi