Lieksa! (2007)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Markku Pölönen

Writer:

Markku Pölönen (written by)

Release Date:

14 September 2007 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot Keywords:

One Word Title | Exclamation Point In Title | Punctuation In Title

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Peter Franzén	...	Laszlo
Sanna-Kaisa Palo	...	Martta
Samuli Vauramo	...	Kasper
Jenni Banerjee	...	Lara
Heikki Kinnunen	...	Niccolo / Otto
Tatu Siivonen	...	Repe
Tuomas Uusitalo	...	Hippo
Toni Wahlström	...	Ventti
Kaarina Turunen	...	Hullu-Helena
Lotta Lehtikari	...	Veera
Elina Knihtilä	...	Roosa
Emma Piitulainen	...	Anna
Puntti Valtonen	...	Jori
Ismo Apell	...	Jali Nappi
Janne Reinikainen	...	Lutku

Also Known As:

The Matriarch (International: English title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Finland

Language:

Finnish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Finland

Company:

Suomen Filmiteollisuus

Trivia:

Filmed simultaniously in both Finnish and English.

Soundtrack:

While Your Lips Are Still Red

An Underrated film

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

When Lieksa! first premiered in Finland I almost went to the theater to watch it, but after hearing a lot of comments about how the movie had some nice camera angles and such, but that it was really weird and didn't have a plot, I didn't go. But when I heard the theme song "While your lips are still red" I started to want to see the film. Then after a little while I heard that the movie was wonderful from one person and I bought the film. I watched and loved it. The film was visually beautiful and had a simple meaning that many people don't seem to understand. The Koppelo family believe that their grandmother was the lover of the last tsar of Russia. They've settled to live in Pyhäselkä, but in the beginning of the movie they are deported and they have to find a new place to live in. They leave towards Lieksa, the town of dreams. In the mean time a drunken man is driving and his car crashes with the Koppelos' van. The drunken man loses his memory and the Koppelo family take him with them. They name the man Kasper. Kasper falls in love with Lara, the daughter of the leader of the group. Kasper doesn't say anything during the movie, until in the last few minutes. The Koppelo family encounter a huge problem, Lazslo, a member of the group that left them years ago returns and wants Lara to be his bride. Lara fells in love with him, because her relationship with Kasper isn't going anywhere. Lazslo later on turns out to be a traitor once again and wants to destroy the whole group. The Koppelo family does get rid of Lazslo and his helpers in the end. The Koppelos head out to Lieksa before the winter. When they arrive at Lieksa, two of their group visit Lieksa while the others wait outside the town. After they return, they announce that Lieksa is too great for them. There was more action in one day at Lieksa than in their whole lives before. (Lieksa is actually one of the smallest and most insignificant towns in Finland)

So the point in my opinion is that the thing that you try so very much to get, might not be that great after all. There were some faults, like when men dressed as women and you were supposed to laugh and for some the movie might be too unclear to follow. But on the whole, Lieksa! left me a great fairy tale-like feeling and I really enjoyed watching it. Markku Pölönen did a great job in my opinion and would deserve a lot more credit for the film than he did. I recommend Lieksa! to anyone who enjoys realism and fairy tales mixed in a love story

9/10 (Sorry if I made spelling mistakes, I'm Finnish)