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The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki

Original title: Hymyilevä mies
  • 2016
  • Unrated
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
4.8K
YOUR RATING
Oona Airola in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
Trailer for The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki
Play trailer1:36
2 Videos
35 Photos
BiographyDramaRomance

The true story of Olli Mäki, the famous Finnish boxer who had a shot at the 1962 World Featherweight title.The true story of Olli Mäki, the famous Finnish boxer who had a shot at the 1962 World Featherweight title.The true story of Olli Mäki, the famous Finnish boxer who had a shot at the 1962 World Featherweight title.

  • Director
    • Juho Kuosmanen
  • Writers
    • Juho Kuosmanen
    • Mikko Myllylahti
  • Stars
    • Jarkko Lahti
    • Oona Airola
    • Eero Milonoff
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    4.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Juho Kuosmanen
    • Writers
      • Juho Kuosmanen
      • Mikko Myllylahti
    • Stars
      • Jarkko Lahti
      • Oona Airola
      • Eero Milonoff
    • 13User reviews
    • 96Critic reviews
    • 83Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 13 wins & 15 nominations

    Videos2

    The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki
    Trailer 1:36
    Watch The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki
    The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki Trailer
    Trailer 1:35
    Watch The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki Trailer

    Photos35

    The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    Eero Milonoff, Jarkko Lahti, and John Bosco Jr. in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    Eero Milonoff and Jarkko Lahti in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    Jarkko Lahti and Oona Airola in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    Jarkko Lahti and Oona Airola in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    Eero Milonoff and Jarkko Lahti in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    Jarkko Lahti in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
    The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jarkko Lahti
    Jarkko Lahti
    • Olli Mäki
    Oona Airola
    Oona Airola
    • Raija Jänkä
    Eero Milonoff
    Eero Milonoff
    • Elis Ask
    Joanna Haartti
    Joanna Haartti
    • Laila Ask
    Esko Barquero
    • Snadi
    Elma Milonoff
    • Evi
    Leimu Leisti
    • Tuula
    Hilma Milonoff
    • Anneli
    Olli Rahkonen
    • Nyrkkeilijä
    Joonas Saartamo
    Joonas Saartamo
    • Nyrkkeilijä
    Henrik Palosaari
    • Nyrkkeilijä
    Sam-Peter Hirvikangas
    • Nyrkkeilijä
    Antti Naakka
    • Nyrkkeilijä
    Niklas Hyvärinen
    • Nyrkkeilijä
    Sauli Helenius
    • Kulmamies
    Jussi Lohijoki
    • Kulmamies
    Ilkka Ilkare
    • Dokumenttiohjaaja
    Jarmo Kiuru
    Jarmo Kiuru
    • Dokumenttikuvaaja
    • Director
      • Juho Kuosmanen
    • Writers
      • Juho Kuosmanen
      • Mikko Myllylahti
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      In 2011 in Kokkola city theatre, director Juho Kuosmanen saw a play about Olli Mäki, who was also in the audience that night. After the play, the theatre director Jarkko Lahti posed together with Mäki for a picture. Kuosmanen said to Lahti that if he directed a film about Mäki, Lahti could play the leading role. Lahti took that as a promise and began training boxing. He even took a few official amateur bouts (which he lost) and thus it became obvious that he really would play Olli Mäki in this film.
    • Goofs
      A modern switchboard housing can be briefly seen in the hallway of Elis Ask's apartment.
    • Quotes

      Olli Mäki: What if I lose? What if people are disappointed in me and realize I'm not the guy they advertised? What if you're disappointed?

      Raija Jänkä: How could I be disappointed when I haven't asked anything of you? If anyone's disappointed, it's because of his own stupid fantasies. You're not responsible for them.

      Olli Mäki: Is that so?

      Raija Jänkä: Yes, it is.

      Olli Mäki: Will you marry me?

      Raija Jänkä: Will you become the world champion?

      Olli Mäki: Of course I will.

      Raija Jänkä: Okay, I'll marry you.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Dinosaur (2021)
    • Soundtracks
      Angelo
      Written by Miika Snåre

      Lyrics by Laura Airola

      Arranged by Ykspihlajan Kino-orkesteri

    User reviews13

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    An exquisite feel-good sporting film
    The euphoric feeling one derives from the simplest of life's pleasures assuredly would always be either ethereal or bestial in origin. And for most people who do not give much thought to such notions, including the titular character as seen in the film itself, it abruptly comes, and the awareness lands like a sucker punch, especially when one realizes it much later rather than sooner.

    A candid but earnest early 1960s period piece about a Finnish prizefighter Olli Mäki is a straightforward retelling of his venture to challenge the then-current world featherweight champion, the legendary American Davey Moore. The unembellished details laid out all from his drudging routine in getting himself match-fit to dealing with the media publicity that follows him to placating fight promoters and sponsors too excited in hosting the world championship title fight in Helsinki. The pressure mounts, but that impertinent Cupid always has other plans that benefit an unorthodox sporting narrative.

    In the pantheon of great boxing films, this Kuosmanen film debut deserves its place alongside the Scorsese masterpiece. Overall, it is like a buoyant but never cloying folksy ballad to Raging Bull's rueful and tempestuous classical. Quite an excellent contrast.

    The interplay between the acting trifecta is just as comparable. The LaMotta biopic showcases the boisterous performances of Moriarty and Pesci that balances that of De Niro's unbridled magnificence in his scorching depiction of the Italian brawler. The reservedness portrayed by an astounding Lahti as the reluctant sporting national hero, on the other hand, exudes an aloofness that subtly draws a perceptive viewer to him instead of being repelled. Inspired performances from Airola and Milonoff as his girlfriend and his coach, respectively, both serve as the bedrock of his existence, complements him with their support that has that refreshing hint of insouciance.

    Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, the operatic theme that figures predominantly as the main anthem in the Scorsese biopic, intensifies the melancholy and effectively softens the dire but sporadically turbulent narrative non-diegetically. The Finnish film, though, has an upbeat jazzy-brassy tune in its opening and closing credits by the Ykspihlaja Cinema Orchestra, a group to which the romantic female lead Airola also belongs.

    Even though for a boxing film that only tangentially deals with the historical sporting bout in its pivotal center, it is in the things that sidetrack the athlete's focus that the film delves in, seeing the beauty and wisdom in the banality and the constant turmoil of obligations versus scruples. The scenes logically transition from one to the next despite a somewhat bumpy start that goes more smoothly as the story progresses. The director's logical use of that marvelously crisp black-and-white photography makes sure the audience concentrates on the character's contemplation and gaze. An artistic decision that serves Raging Bull as well, but that one is to accomplish the opposite as far as the gaze is concerned.

    And quite befitting for the film to end by having the real-life couple whose story has just unfolded walk past their cinematic counterparts. It is quite a sumptuous dessert, especially for those already numbed by a constant diet of world-weary content despite its seeming prosaicness. It is a very much welcome antidote to cynicism seasoned with that intrinsically Finnish dry humor.

    In rating this beta guy boxing film, this deservedly gets an alpha.
    helpful•1
    1
    • Ron_Solina
    • Aug 11, 2021

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 2, 2016 (Finland)
    • Countries of origin
      • Finland
      • Sweden
      • Germany
    • Official sites
      • Official site (Germany)
      • Official site (Finland)
    • Languages
      • Finnish
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki
    • Filming locations
      • Vartiosaari, Helsinki, Finland(The house where Olli goes into retreat)
    • Production companies
      • Aamu Filmcompany
      • ONE TWO Films
      • Film i Väst
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • €1,200,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $571,373
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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