The Man Without a Past

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The Man Without a Past

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The Man Without a Past

Aino Seppo, Annikki Tähti, Juhani Niemelä, Kaija Pakarinen, Kati Outinen

A story centering on a man whose life and memory are stolen from him when he is brutally beaten and robbed by thugs, soon after arriving by train in Helsinki. He is pronounced dead in the hospital, bu...( read more  read more... )t shortly thereafter, he calmly sits up and walks out. From there he is forced to start over from scratch to find love, self-esteem and a place in the world.

Id: 10895701

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The Man Without a Past Recent Reviews
  • FangsFirst
    May 31, 2008
    FangsFirst
    I know a Finn, who I could swear once recommended or encouraged the viewing of this film, but I can't be held to believing that as fact, for I'm too lazy to go back and verify it for certain. Considering the overall flavour of the film, I would not be surprised, with his tastes a...( read more)nd general attitude, if indeed my memory is working perfectly fine, though.

    "M" (Markku Peltola) is a man who arrives in Helsinki, Finland from origins unknown, and after arrival finds himself mugged and beaten to a bleeding stupor that leaves him without knowledge of even his name, let alone his home, friends, family or anything to identify him. He then uses the kindness of others to build a new life for himself--from absolutely nothing. He does not use everyone else as unnecessary crutches, but as handholds to pull himself up to where he needs to be--after all, difficult to just manifest housing or food for oneself, and one realizes how difficult finding a job would be without a social security number or real identity.

    Aki Kaurismäki is a rather well thought-of director in independent and foreign cinema scenes--either a blessing or a kiss of death for me, as it means either creative and unusual or boring and pretentious. Luckily, Kaurismäki is the latter. I don't know whether or not I found the comedy funny, per se, though I definitely saw it (and was definitely amused by some lines) and so I'm not sure what to say exactly about Kaurismäki, except that I'm pretty sure I liked the film. It's weird, I can say that for certain. Events in it are--as the first line of the plot I wrote above makes clear--not really the most humourous things in the world, but they are performed and filmed in a fashion that does not make these sad, dark events depressing, dour, or even really blackly funny. The humour comes from the responses of the characters, who are intentionally (it is too universal and too similar in nature to be flawed performance or direction) flat and emotionless, often delivering truly ridiculous or absurd lines--such as M's landlord's commentary about his guard dog--without cracking a smile or overacting, or even underacting. A peculiar romance develops, even, with Salvation Army worker Irma (Kati Outinen) and M, but it's not overly sentimental, nor is it cynical. Certainly it's a cheerful romance, one we are happy to see, but it's not one that leaps out at us. Irma and M sit on the couch in his container (as in, goes on shipping vessels and semis) home listening to music on his jukebox. It looks ridiculous and almost pathetic, yet it doesn't. There's a brightness to this hard-earned, simple existence that makes it acceptable to the eye despite the detailed facts of the matter. From what I read, apparently this is Kaurismäki's way--to portray bleak, depressing events in a contrary way.

    It's an entertaining film, though you're never quite sure why, and perhaps even think you shouldn't be enjoying it as much as you are, and wonder, even, how you can like some of these characters who are so despicable. The ending is not Hollywood, but is thoroughly satisfying and upbeat. It's highly unusual though, with an anticlimax for a climax--which does somehow manage to make itself a climax anyway, when we learn who M really was, and what it is he used to live like as compared to his new existence. Perhaps "hard to describe" would have been a better term for me to choose than "weird," but I suppose it will have to do--it's still accurate, even if not terribly descriptive.
  • doboy1
    May 29, 2008
    doboy1
    Not quite believable , but very entertaining.
  • RossCollinsUK
    June 10, 2007
    RossCollinsUK
    A well told, simple story about a Finnish man suffering from amnesia. The style reminds me of American movies of the 60s, and there's a few nice political jabs aimed at bureaucracy.
  • jimbotender
    September 6, 2008
    jimbotender
    Gorgeously shot,plenty of irony and numbness whilst our protagonist loiters in a community of weird individuals.Spectacular I say!For Kaurismaki,this is the ultimate view on his philosophy regards to isolation,edging towards a deep melancholy of the heart.The keys of happiness ar...( read more)e what Kant used to seek and the beloved director from the north charismatically perceives to grab them.
  • hossein13
    November 7, 2009
    hossein13
    November 2009 - This is a fantastic human drama with such a straight and simple story-telling skills. The humanist nature of the movie and the very original witty tone of the movie makes it very attractive and unforgettable.
  • makkom
    September 5, 2009
    makkom
    quiet,not happy happy movie,but warm u up somehow.

    and colors in all the scens are brilliant.
  • cornixregina
    May 18, 2009
    cornixregina
    it was actually quite good in all. The dog was funny, or should I say had a name that didn't suit. Story was good too
  • ilvecchiosnaporaz
    April 18, 2009
    ilvecchiosnaporaz
    From my point of view, this film is a sort of warning in the form of a fairy tale for adults.
    Do not let the only thing you will remember about your past life is only a vague image of the work you did.
  • siavashasadollahi
    March 27, 2009
    siavashasadollahi
    garbage. the worst acting I've ever seen in a European movie. the story has been told for thousands of times, and telling it in a ridiculous Finnish way doesn't change it at all. Cliche after Cliche. happy ending, hot love, ugly girl being loved by a pathetic man, good homeless g...( read more)uys. fuck you Aki...
  • wkt
    March 6, 2009
    wkt
    Really great Finnish movie about a man who gets beaten badly by thugs and loses his memory. Great acting, wonderful dialogue and very funny in parts. It even has a happy, and just, ending.
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