1992 comedy
Rating: 17/20
Plot: In Paris, a writer, a painter, and a composer form a sort-of friendship and try to survive together as starving artists.
I don't think there's any greater joy in my life than the joy I feel when watching an Aki Kaurismaki movie. I think my favorite thing about this movie is the way the floors creak. The sound is just so clear, and Kaurismaki minimalistically doesn't have much of a score here. So you hear all these sounds that somehow just help solidify the situation this trio of losers is in. I love the three leads, all Kaurismaki regulars. Andre Wilms has the perfect head for this Kaurismakian deadpan humor. Matti Pellonpaa, a guy who I've called my favorite actor in this blog, is the painter, a guy whose leather jacket clashes with this childlike naivete. He's also got a great walk in this. Kari Vaananen is the composer (his "new composition" might be the funniest moment), and he brings these great expressions to the table. The narrative sort of drifts between the three of them although the word "narrative" is used loosely here. Really, you never have much of a plot to get your teeth into here although there is the romantic relationship between Pellonpaa's character and woman named Mimi. When the three are together, they're like a deadpan Three Stooges, a Moe and Curly and Larry who haven't quite figured out that they're supposed to be funny. It's the kind of thing that can make me laugh though, even well past midnight when I'm on the couch by myself. It's the sort of thing that I feel has to be done, casting my laughter to the heavens. God, I love this guy's stuff so much! In a way, it reminds me of a quote about author Richard Brautigan. Somebody somewhere said that some day people would write "Brautigans" like they now write novels. I think the same could be said about Kaurismaki. He's in a genre all by himself. Well, maybe he's in there with Jim Jarmusch. I don't think there's been a writer/director since Charlie Chaplin who's more capable of making movies about human beings, specifically about how human beings are simultaneously really funny and really sad.
Because I'm not able to watch all of Kaurismaki's movies (thanks, Criterion, for this one!), I might have to watch all the ones that I've seen again. I honestly can't think of a better thing to do with my time.
Have I made it obvious how much I like this guy's stuff? Is there enough gushing?
Louis Malle's in this movie, but I didn't spot him.
Oh, a song I wanted to mention: "We'll do the bird dance in the broad daylight?" apparently by The Trashmen.
No comments:
Post a Comment