Kites Over Helsinki
Leijat Helsingin yllä (Drakarna över Helsingfors)

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Finland 2001 colour 90min Kinoproduction Oy

Drama

cast: Paavo Kerosuo (Riku Bexar), Pekka Strang (Dani Bexar), Johanna af Schultén (Benita), Pirkka-Pekka Petelius (Henrik), Peter Franzén (Sammy Ceder), Tom Wentzel
credits: dir. Peter Lindholm, based on a novel by Kjell Westö, music Mauri Sumèn, prod. Claes Olsson and Jaakko Kievari

This is a story about a rich family and different generations. There’s the once poor but now rich and famous father, who wants to see, how his two sons grow up to keep the family name honoured. His wife, a silent and sensitive lady is like a decoration on the wall. And their children. Riku (Kerosuo), the younger one, is lazy and a bit lost. Dani (Strang), the elder one, is bright but he has no will to follow his father's steps. He wants to be a musician and so the family goes into pieces.

The cast is good. It keeps the story running on with fresh acting. Especially Pekka Strang does nice work, although we can never get close enough to his character. The whole movie is in Swedish. It may irritate some Finnish watchers…

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