xtian_durden "Life is short and miserable. Be merry while you can."I hope that every sad loser in life and every person who is kind but is faced with tremendous misfortune has a happy ending.This film is dedicated to Aki Kaurismäki's most prominent collaborator and friend, Matti Pellonpää, who was supposed to reprise his role in Shadows in Paradise in this film, which was meant to be the sequel.He died of a heart attack and was only 44. Maybe, after all, Aki Kaurismäki's cinematic lens pale in comparison to real life's tragedy.

slake09 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.

jaakkochan The movie has a feeling of sinking ship. Yes, you heard right. The setbacks which haunts the maincharacters are so cruel that only real life can do something like this to people. I happen to live quite close to places where this has made, and friend of mine wondered how Kaurismaki had found such a ruined places from Helsinki! This looks like some dirty streets in NY! The actors and actresses are magnificent. And the music has it's melancholic feeling of autumn as ever. Yes, definably this is something you should see.

allan-57 This colorful film from Finland's great director Aki Kaurismäki is a warm and passionate (note that passionate isn't the same in Finland as in Spain)story of two working class heroes, Illona and Lauri, with their dog and square life. They are content with their existence and are investing in new furniture and a big television set, all on a payment plan. Work is hard and they don't get much time for each other, but they have pride. Then both of them loose their jobs and their self respect with that. They're proud people and will not go on well fare. There's a economic crisis in the country and jobs are hard to find. They have to take really crummy jobs to survive but are cheated and also Lauri discovers his health isn't what it used to be. They have a few deep looks into the depth of the bottle and any signs of ever getting back are slim. Then Illona, motivated by an ex fellow worker gets a plan... This film is about survival and loss of self respect and the struggle to regain it. I find it very warm and positive. An exploration into the mind of northern Europe and the old values. A good worker needs no help, he stands tall on his own. Also the tango music in the film is wonderful in it's bittersweetness. It's a story of change, when the old reality has to be updated and the pain that can cause.