Kauas pilvet karkaavat (1996)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writer:

Aki Kaurismäki (writer)

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

The recession hits a couple in Helsinki.

Plot Keywords:

Drunkenness | Tragedy | Unemployment | Cookery

Awards:

8 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Kati Outinen	...	Ilona
Kari Väänänen	...	Lauri
Elina Salo	...	Rouva Sjöholm (Mrs. Sjöholm)
Sakari Kuosmanen	...	Melartin
Markku Peltola	...	Lajunen
Matti Onnismaa	...	Forsström
Matti Pellonpää	...	Lapsi valokuvassa (Child in the Photograph)
Pietari	...	Pietari
Shelley Fisher	...	Pianisti (Pianist)
Markus Allan	...	Orkesteri (Band)
Pauli Granfelt	...	Orkesteri (Band)
Kari Lindqvist	...	Orkesteri (Band)
Pentti Mutikainen	...	Orkesteri (Band)
Tommi Parkkonen	...	Orkesteri (Band)
Taisto Wesslin	...	Orkesteri (Band)

Also Known As:

Drifting Clouds (UK)
Far Away the Clouds Escape (International: English title) (literal English title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Finland

Language:

Finnish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:S | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Sputnik

Trivia:

The film was originally meant to be a direct sequel to Varjoja paratiisissa (1986), with Matti Pellonpää reprising his famous role as Nikander. Since Pellonpää died during pre-production, Aki Kaurismäki rewrote the entire script. However, the characters played by Kati Outinen and Sakari Kuosmanen still retain the names they had in the previous film (Ilona and Melartin, respectively).

Quotes:

Mrs. Sjöholm: When I was young I drunk many men under the table.

Movie Connections:

References L'atalante (1934)

Soundtrack:

LA FERIA

Gloomy but good

I particularly liked Man Without A Past, by the same director, and this is much in the same vein. A couple having financial difficulties tries to make their way. Sounds like all of us. Only this couple delivers delicious witty dialogue in a deadpan style that cracks me up every time. Even their fights and make ups are so understated that it's a style all it's own. Don't look for the obvious here, it's hidden under a layer of Finnish humor so opaque that you have to watch very closely to see even a glimmer of laughter in anyone's eye.

The film is gloomy, depressing, bleak, but somehow it does your heart good. Even when things seem to be at their worst, you can't help but feel that the hardworking and honest couple will manage to somehow get back on solid ground and right with the world. You want them to. You need them to. They simply must, or your poor little heart will break.

It's hard to describe this film because nothing much seems to happen, there are only the normal setbacks of life in the low income zone, but by the end you realize that you've seen a great movie and are happy with it. What helps keep you interested are the dialogue and the understated style. For example, why do all the men wear their hair the same way? Does anyone own clothes that aren't drab? Why does all the furniture look like it's from the 1950's? All these questions and more will occur to you while watching the film and wondering if anyone will ever crack a smile.