Mies vailla menneisyyttä (2002)

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writer:

Aki Kaurismäki (written by)

Release Date:

23 August 2002 (Norway)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Music | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

The second part of Aki Kaurismäki's "Finland" trilogy, the film follows a man who arrives in Helsinki...

Plot Keywords:

Amnesia | Memory | Landlord | Garbage Dumpster | Deprivation Of Liberty

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 20 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Markku Peltola	...	M
Kati Outinen	...	Irma
Juhani Niemelä	...	Nieminen
Kaija Pakarinen	...	Kaisa Nieminen
Sakari Kuosmanen	...	Anttila
Annikki Tähti	...	Manager of Flea Market
Anneli Sauli	...	Bar Owner
Elina Salo	...	Dock Clerk
Outi Mäenpää	...	Bank Clerk
Esko Nikkari	...	Bank Robber
Pertti Sveholm	...	Police Detective
Matti Wuori	...	Layer
Aino Seppo	...	Ex-wife
Janne Hyytiäinen	...	Ovaskainen
Antti Reini	...	Electrician

Also Known As:

Der Mann ohne Vergangenheit (Germany)
Irtolainen (Finland) (working title)
L'homme sans passé (France)
The Man Without a Past (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Finland | Germany | France

Language:

Finnish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:12 | Hungary:14 | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-7 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Italy:T | Singapore:PG | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Bavaria Film

Trivia:

Chosen by "Telerama" (France) as one of the 10 best pictures of 2002 (#01, tied with "Hable con ella")

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Helsinki railway station's extension roof is clearly visible at the opening scene, but it hadn't been build yet in 1996 (the year can be read from the newspaper).

Quotes:

[M is cooking dinner]
Irma: Are you sure I can't help?
M: I think it's ruined already.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Hawaii No Yoru

superb, warm, special and sweet

Having spent time working and living in Finland, I absolutely loved the film. Not only the visuals, the Helsinki waterfront, but moreso, the special warmth of Finnish culture and people. The way the men related to each other, for example, was amazingly clever in its capture (and parody) of male-male relationships. Man-woman was just was wonderful, with the long-suffering women and the helpless men (this is of course universal, not just Finnish, which makes the film fully human). The bank employee was fantastic; I saw "her" when I opened an account in a city north of Helsinki! No, it wasn't the stereotypes, but the rich cultural images that were NOT "Hollywooded" up or forced American fare. It's a real film, and I am glad I saw it. Kiitos!