Drifting Clouds (1996)

The recession hits a couple in Helsinki.

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writer:

Aki Kaurismäki

Stars:

Kati Outinen, Kari Väänänen, Elina Salo

10 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kati Outinen	...	Ilona Koponen
Kari Väänänen	...	Lauri Koponen
Elina Salo	...	Rouva Sjöholm
Sakari Kuosmanen	...	Melartin
Markku Peltola	...	Lajunen
Matti Onnismaa	...	Forsström
Matti Pellonpää	...	Lapsi valokuvassa (credit only)
Pietari	...	Pietari
Shelley Fisher	...	Pianisti
Markus Allan	...	Orkesteri
Pauli Granfelt	...	Orkesteri
Kari Lindqvist	...	Orkesteri
Pentti Mutikainen	...	Orkesteri
Tommi Parkkonen	...	Orkesteri
Taisto Wesslin	...	Orkesteri

Storyline

Tram driver Lauri loses his job. Shortly later, the restaurant where his wife Ilona works as a head waitress is closed. Too proud to receive money from the social welfare system, they strive to find new jobs. But they are completely unlucky and clumsy, one disaster is followed by the next.

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Plot Keywords:

tram driver | tram | work | waitress | restaurant | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the restaurants in this film is named "Dubrovnik". Scenes set in that restaurant were filmed at Yrjönkatu 18, which at time were not an actual restaurant. However, in summer 2005 at this location opened restaurant G18. Bit later the Andorra cinema, which is co-owned by Kaurismäki brothers, was converted into new form and one of the theatre halls was changed into Dubrovnik Lounge & Lobby.

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Quotes

Ilona: I started as a dishwasher, then kitchen maid, then waiter until I got to be a head waiter. I could still be a waiter.
Ravintolapäällikkö (restaurant manager): I understand: but I can't help you... to be honest, you're too old for a waiter.
Ilona: I'm thirty-eight.
Ravintolapäällikkö (restaurant manager): There you go. You could drop dead any moment.
Ilona: You're over fifty yourself!
Ravintolapäällikkö (restaurant manager): That's different. I got contacts - and you smoke. You got life insurance?
Ilona: You wanna arm wrestle?

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Connections

References Night on Earth (1991)

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Soundtracks

Myrskyn keskellä'
Music and lyrics by Marko Haavisto
Performed by Badding Rockers

User Reviews

Less is more

Celebration for unacting! If you like movies where less is saying more - this is your movie. The wonderful positive attitude of people in difficult situations is something to learn from. Kati Outinen is great - again. She suits this movie perfectly. Kari Väänänen as her husband is the perfect Finnish hard working man whose life isn't a struggle but an art-form it self. Also Markku Peltola as a cook gives once again a memorable performance. The music moves the scenes into another level. Finnish melancholic tango in this environment makes almost a conflict between the things happening in the screen and the music. What a wonderful tribute to Matti Pellonpää.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Homepage (The Finnish Film Foundation)

Country:

Finland Germany France

Language:

Finnish

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Drifting Clouds

Filming Locations:

Punavuori, Helsinki, Finland

Box Office

Budget:

FIM5,562,154 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sputnik, Yleisradio (YLE), Pandora Filmproduktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1