Ariel

Available on DVD

Finland 1988 colour 70 min Villealfa Filmproductions Oy

***½

Comedy

cast: Susanna Haavisto (Irmeli Pihlaja), Turo Pajala (Taisto Kasurinen), Matti Pellonpää (Mikkonen), Eetu Hilkamo (Riku), Erkki Pajala
credits: dir. Aki Kaurismäki (also script and prod.), DOP Timo Salminen, music Olavi Virta, Melrose and Rauli Badding Somerjoki

Ariel is a story of hard times and growing out of them. The main character loses everything and by a chance he becomes as thief. Critics of USA voted this piece of art for best film of the year (1990). It's easy to see why. It is good. Its jokes are on time and the plot is easy to follow. The movie isn't anyway "easy", it just looks like that.

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