Man Without A Past
Mies vailla menneisyyttä

Available on DVD or VHS

Finland 2002 colour 94 min Sputnik Oy

****

Drama, comedy

cast: Markku Peltola (M), Kati Outinen (Irma), Juhani Niemelä (Nieminen), Kaija Pakarinen (Mrs. Nieminen), Sakari Kuosmanen (Anttila), Annikki Tähti, Elina Salo, Outi Mäenpää, Esko Nikkari, Pertti Sveholm, Matti Wuori, Anneli Sauli, Aino Seppo, Aarre Karen, Antti Reini, Peter von Bagh, Sulevi Peltola, Liisa Kuoppamäki, Tähti (Hannibal)
credits: dir. & prod. & script Aki Kaurismäki, DOP Timo Salminen, music Markus Allan, Annikki Tähti, Poutahaukat, Tapio Rautavaara etc.

A bunch of robbers attack on a guy and he almost loses his life in that moment. Later he wakes up in a hospital, finds out that he can't remember his name or anything and escapes from the hospital before anybody will pronounce him as dead. He has to start a new life but it's not so easy if you have no name.

This movie is one of Aki Kaurismäki's funniest flicks, although maybe not his best one. It could have been better if Matti Pellonpää was playing the main character. Markku Peltola is not as sensitive actor as Pellonpää was but not a very far from that. Kati Outinen is excellent as Irma, it's no wonder that she won a prize in Cannes from this role. There's also numerous cameos and other supporting roles that are more than well acted. Esko Nikkari as a bank robber and Sakari Kuosmanen as Anttila make two of the most hilarious roles in this movie. It's well shot and edited. A must see for everyone.

TRIVIA: Director's own dog Tähti plays Hannibal the dog. She is the granmother of the dog called Ilona, who "plays" a part in the tv serie Kotikatu.
TRIVIA#2: This movie won two prizes in Cannes (Kati Outinen and the movie itself) but it was also the very first Finnish movie which was nominated for the Oscar.

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