Paha maa (2005)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Aku Louhimies

Writers:

Paavo Westerberg (screenplay) and
Jari Rantala (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 January 2005 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In the end things work out for the best for all of us.

Plot:

When a schoolteacher is sacked he projects his bad mood at his troubled teen son. He in turn buys a CD player from a pawnshop with counterfeit money...

Plot Keywords:

Counterfeit Money | Pawnshop | Car Salesman | Funeral | Domestic Violence

Awards:

17 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Jasper Pääkkönen	...	Niko Smolander
Mikko Leppilampi	...	Tuomas Mikael Saraste
Pamela Tola	...	Elina Oravisto
Petteri Summanen	...	Antti Arhamo
Matleena Kuusniemi	...	Hannele Arhamo
Mikko Kouki	...	Isto Virtanen
Sulevi Peltola	...	Teuvo 'Teukka' Hurskainen
Pertti Sveholm	...	Pertti Smolander
Samuli Edelmann	...	'Jartsa' Matikainen
Saara Pakkasvirta	...	Kauppiaan äiti
Pekka Valkeejärvi	...	Kauppias
Susanna Anteroinen	...	Rehtori
Niklas Hellakoski	...	Konsta
Emilia Suoperä	...	Maria
Jonathan Kajander	...	Joonatan 'Jonttu' Arhamo

Also Known As:

Frozen Land (Finland) (Hong Kong: English title) (festival title) (International: English title) (USA)

Runtime:

130 min | UK:132 min

Country:

Finland

Language:

Finnish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-13 | Sweden:15 | Hong Kong:III | UK:18 | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Solar Films

Trivia:

There was severe disagreement on the final cut of this film. Director Aku Louhimies did not approve the edition, which Solar Films originally planned to release. On 2 December 2004 Louhimies filed Helsinki Municipal Court a cease and desist letter where he requests that Solar Films may not distribute the version he hasn't approved on threat of 300 000 euro fine. The situation was solved some days later, when Louhimies and producer Markus Selin agreed the dispute by making one more edition of the film, which satisfied both parties.

Movie Connections:

Version of L'argent (1983)

Soundtrack:

Embrace

This is a gem

I was very lucky to see this film as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival 2005 only a few days ago. I must admit that I am very partial to movies that focus on human relations and especially the ones which concentrate on the tragic side of life. I also love the majority of Scandinavian cinematic offerings, there is often a particular deep quality in the way the story unfolds and the characters are drawn. Character building in this film is extraordinary in its details and its depth. This is despite the fact that we do encounter quite a number of characters all with very particular personal situations and locations within their community. The audience at the end of the screening was very silent and pensive. I am still playing some of those scenes in my mind and I am still amazed at their power and meaningfulness.