"Black Ice" (Kotwicais, 2007) is the story of a doctor, Saara (Outi Mäenpää), who at first seems to have a great relationship with her architect husband, Leo (Martti Suosalo). Then she finds out he has been cheating on her with one of his students. Later she finds out he has been cheating on her with a series of women even since they were engaged. She moves out and decides to take revenge on her husband and his new mistress. Saara ends up creating a fake identity as a psychologist named Crista, and befriends the other woman, Tuuli (Ria Kataja). Things quickly become complicated and twisted as the story evolves. Who is being honest? Who is wearing a mask (figuratively or literally)? In many scenes there is little or no dialogue, but tension and emotions are felt through the actors' eyes and the music. This suspenseful film is a great psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the end.
While the story revolves around two women who love the same man, the man himself is not seen very often. This film focuses on the complex relationship between the two women, something you don't see very often in film, which is one of the reasons I like it so much. Both of the women are excellent actresses, bringing depth and emotion through the dialogue and possibly even more so in scenes without dialogue. When Saara attends Tuuli's karate class for the first time, there is a powerful scene were she stares her down from the back of the class. Everyone else has their eyes closed except Saara; you see her watching and waiting with such hate, contemplating what she will do to this woman who is sleeping with her husband.
In the beginning of the film Saara is innocent and shocked to learn that she has been betrayed. The viewer initially roots for her, but she quickly turns to manipulation and deceit to take revenge on her husband and his mistress. We are first introduced to Tuuli as the other woman, a dishonest cheater. However, as Saara gets closer to Tuuli and they become best friends, she becomes likable and sympathetic. This caught me off guard. You have reasons to both root for and hate both of the main characters. Tuuli is completely open and honest with Saara. Eventually it becomes hard to tell if Saara is pretending to be friends with Tuuli, or if she is starting to actually become her best friend. When she is talking to her husband about Tuuli, and he calls her "that chick", she defends her in a way, saying, "she is your girlfriend, not just some chick." You can tell she feels bad for Tuuli after she gets back together with her husband, even though that is what she wanted. In the end though when Saara finds out that Tuuli might be pregnant with her husband's baby, she takes advantage of her in a despicable way. Soon after, Tuuli learns the truth and is shocked to learn of her own betrayal. Their roles have essentially reversed, and both are left devastated.
I enjoyed the music in the film from the start. The score was written and performed by members of the Finnish metal band Apocolyptica. It was an interesting choice that I think worked out well. Often during scenes with no dialogue, the music gives you a better look at the characters' inner thoughts and feelings. I remember one scene in particular where this was effective. Saara and Tuuli are going ice-skating together, and appear to be two friends just out having a good time. However the music does not reflect this; it is serious and intense, reminding you that Saara has dark ulterior motives. The situation is tragic in multiple ways, and the music does well at reflecting the mood.
The way the characters evolved and changed throughout the story kept me engaged and interested throughout the film. The complexities and twists surprised me, and moved me in ways I did not expect. Some of the plot was not necessarily very believable, but if you allow yourself to go along with the story it will take you for an interesting and dramatic ride with several twist and turns. The director, Petri Kotwica, planned this film for six years; you can tell it was very well thought out. I did not think I would like this movie as much as I did; I thought it would be a typical love triangle story of infidelity. The acting, music, irony, and convolutions make it stand out as a very good film.
While the story revolves around two women who love the same man, the man himself is not seen very often. This film focuses on the complex relationship between the two women, something you don't see very often in film, which is one of the reasons I like it so much. Both of the women are excellent actresses, bringing depth and emotion through the dialogue and possibly even more so in scenes without dialogue. When Saara attends Tuuli's karate class for the first time, there is a powerful scene were she stares her down from the back of the class. Everyone else has their eyes closed except Saara; you see her watching and waiting with such hate, contemplating what she will do to this woman who is sleeping with her husband.
In the beginning of the film Saara is innocent and shocked to learn that she has been betrayed. The viewer initially roots for her, but she quickly turns to manipulation and deceit to take revenge on her husband and his mistress. We are first introduced to Tuuli as the other woman, a dishonest cheater. However, as Saara gets closer to Tuuli and they become best friends, she becomes likable and sympathetic. This caught me off guard. You have reasons to both root for and hate both of the main characters. Tuuli is completely open and honest with Saara. Eventually it becomes hard to tell if Saara is pretending to be friends with Tuuli, or if she is starting to actually become her best friend. When she is talking to her husband about Tuuli, and he calls her "that chick", she defends her in a way, saying, "she is your girlfriend, not just some chick." You can tell she feels bad for Tuuli after she gets back together with her husband, even though that is what she wanted. In the end though when Saara finds out that Tuuli might be pregnant with her husband's baby, she takes advantage of her in a despicable way. Soon after, Tuuli learns the truth and is shocked to learn of her own betrayal. Their roles have essentially reversed, and both are left devastated.
I enjoyed the music in the film from the start. The score was written and performed by members of the Finnish metal band Apocolyptica. It was an interesting choice that I think worked out well. Often during scenes with no dialogue, the music gives you a better look at the characters' inner thoughts and feelings. I remember one scene in particular where this was effective. Saara and Tuuli are going ice-skating together, and appear to be two friends just out having a good time. However the music does not reflect this; it is serious and intense, reminding you that Saara has dark ulterior motives. The situation is tragic in multiple ways, and the music does well at reflecting the mood.
The way the characters evolved and changed throughout the story kept me engaged and interested throughout the film. The complexities and twists surprised me, and moved me in ways I did not expect. Some of the plot was not necessarily very believable, but if you allow yourself to go along with the story it will take you for an interesting and dramatic ride with several twist and turns. The director, Petri Kotwica, planned this film for six years; you can tell it was very well thought out. I did not think I would like this movie as much as I did; I thought it would be a typical love triangle story of infidelity. The acting, music, irony, and convolutions make it stand out as a very good film.