Colorado Avenue

Finland/Sweden 2007 colour 120min Kinoproduction Oy, Filmlance international AB

**½

Drama

cast: Birthe Wingren (Hanna), Ylva Ekblad (Hanna's mother), Nicke Lignell (Mr. Smeds), Peter Kanerva (Otto), Andr&eucute; Wickström, Pekka Strang, Irina Björklund, Johan Storgård
credits: dir. and prod. Claes Olsson, music Yari, script Erik Norberg, based on novels by Lars Sund, DOP Pertti Mutanen

The stroy starts from 1905, when Hanna (Birthe Wingren) returns with her two small children to Finland. She's been living in America with them and her Finnish-born husband until his sudden death. Back in her original homeland people are talking bad about her and her children, although Hanna has always tried to live a honest life. She now has to show to everybody that she really is a good woman and a fine person.

Later in the movie the main role goes to Hanna's son Otto (Peter Kanerva), who starts smuggling. It's a bit odd decision from the director Olsson to change the focus from Hanna to Otto. It could work better in a tv-serie, but not in a movie. The reason for this change must be, that the movie is written after Lars Sunds two different novels. However, there's too much of stuff for a one movie anyway. Despite of superb Birthe Wingren and other good cast the whole thing doesn't work.

The soundtrack is in Swedish.

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