Matti

Finland 2006 colour 130min Solar Films Inc.

***½

Drama, (comedy,) sports

cast: Jasper Pääkkönen (Matti Nykänen), Peter Franzén (Nick Nevada), Elina Knihtilä (Mirva), Elina Hietala (Taina), Juha Veijonen, Jope Ruonansuu, Kari Hietalahti (Hammer), Jani Volanen, Jussi Lampi (Jorma Tapio), Seppo Pääkkönen (Matti’s father), Pekka Laiho, Maija Junno (Matti’s mother), Juho Milonoff, Heikki Nousiainen, Pekka Autiovuori, Turkka Mastomäki, Pekka Huotari, Santeri Kinnunen, Matti Onnismaa
credits: dir. Aleksi Mäkelä, prod. Markus Selin, DOP Pini Hellstedt, music Tuomas Kantelinen

Matti Nykänen… What kind of man is that guy who won (1981-1991) four times the Olympic games, became seven times as the world champion and so on? Where is he now? His many weird sayings ("Life is man’s best time"…), his legendary drinking problem (he says that he doesn’t have any problem with drinking…) and his women (not so many in this flick) are well-known all over the Finland, thanks to our press. Lately (in the end of 2005) he was living peacefully with his beloved Mervi in their home. How long it takes until they have a terrible fight or/and Matti is jailed again – no one knows.
This movie tells how Mr. Nykänen became as a big Finnish sports star, how that career ended and what he has done after that (quite a lot from singing to stabbing). The guy is, however, amazing. Not only because he has done so much and been so much, but also because he seems to be so weirdly naïve – at least this movie’s character is. The "naïviness" of the main character is one of the biggest problems in this movie. Also the flick doesn’t tell, why Mirva falls so deeply to Matti, or was the money really the only reason why everything went as it went.
This movie is full of flashbacks, which is partly understandable, partly boring. Boring is also to watch constant drinking scenes, although they contain a lot of this movie’s fun stuff (for example the star maker Jorma Tapio). However, Jasper Pääkkönen is fine as Matti, the flick gives many good laughs and possibly it also gives something to think. Matti Nykänen’s life in this movie is a tragedy.

TRIVIA: Mr. Nykänen gets his part from the ticket sales.

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