August

Elokuu, meaning 'August'... Is an engaging, gentle coming of age film. A lot of thought must have gone into the atmospheric cinematography ( From Mr.Joonas Pulkkanen ) of a blissful, near magical Scandinavian summer. As the fairly naive, contemplative middle class protagonist school leaver, 'Aku' explores his existential, more rebellious romantic self. The film begins with his long term girlfriend and family leaving him to his own devices - and after a friend tells him... 'that life is fleeting' And from the stresses of final exams - the City teenager starts to question his own choices and future career path and seemingly affluent parental lifestyle, that he will eventually mirror. On a road journey through the remote Finnish countryside with a mysterious, free spirited chance encounter. The film probably ends realistically, but fails to excite or escape it's bourgeois underpinnings or stereotypes - on either side of the camera. The films story arch becomes problematic and for me at least... far too melodramatic and drawn out in the final third. But still, Elokuu is an interesting and entertaining little film, from writer/director Mr.Oskari Sipola. Well worth a viewing.