Hamlet Goes Business

1987 Kaurismaki movie

Rating: 15/20

Plot: A modern telling of Hamlet, a play by some guy named Shakespeare.

You can't imagine the joy I was filled with when I found myself an Aki Kaurismaki movie to watch. I'm not going to detail how I had to watch this because I don't feel like sharing that. If you really have to know, just ask.

For about 4/5 of this, it's a fairly faithful adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet although Kaurismaki sets the thing in modern times. Things get a little nuts in the final act. This retains the darkness of Shakespeare's tragedy, but it definitely has that Kaurismakian deadpan humor with a little absurdity thrown in. I mean, when a central part of the story involves the Swedish rubber duck industry, and the titular anti-hero is shown eating a fistful of ham when we first see him, you know things are a little wacky. It's possible the subtitles I had were not translated very well, but it seemed clear to me that Kaurismaki doesn't know all that much about business himself, making a version of Hamlet where Hamlet "goes business" a little more absurd. Kaurismaki has some nods to noir and often uses this exaggerated music that made me smile.

The entire movie is worth it for one death scene which will likely be my favorite of the year. I chortled, ladies and gentlemen. I can't remember ever laughing at Shakespeare, even his comedies.