Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismäki’s third feature but the first I can find
Blue collar protagonist in a comically harsh world—blending dry laughter and bitter realism
The routine of a garbage man to jazz music to start—the two actors most associated with Kaurismäki—Matti Pellonpaa and Kati Outinen (she plays a cashier who fixes his hand and he asks out)
Ironic deadpan—Kaurismäki is curt and matter of fact but certainly in on the joke (I’m not sure all of the uninitiated to Kaurismäki will be)
The holes in his apartment wall—talking about Florida (not the only think that makes you think of Jarmusch or Strangers Than Paradise)
They take off like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde—a fable and love story with a wink “can you support both of us?” “Small potatoes”
The shot at 45 min is a jaw-dropper- framed by the doorway– like much of Kaurismäki’s work there is one of these shots—that’s it. Perfectly framed—reminds me of Fassbinder—it’s a shame he didn’t do it more or we’d just have a much better film- painterly composition
[…] Shadows in Paradise – Kaursmaki […]