Fallen Leaves - 💥💥💥💥

Director: Aki Kaurismäki

Writer: Aki Kaurismäki 

Release Date: 1st December 2023

Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥

Synopsis: A tragicomedy about two misfits living in modern Helinski. Ansa (Alma Pöysti) works on a zero-hour contract in a supermarket, stocking the shelves. One night, she accidentally meets the equally lonely worker Holappa (Jussi Vatanen), an alcoholic and altogether hapless loner. Against all odds and misunderstandings, Ansa and Holappa try to build a relationship, sparking Holappa to get his alcohol addiction under control.

Review: Director Aki Kaurismäki once again delivers his signature blend of deadpan humour and melancholy. Centring on the unlikely relationship between lonely souls Ansa and Holappa, Kaurismäki constructs a bittersweet ode to human connection. Alma Pöysti is marvellous as Ansa, capturing the character's quiet dignity and optimism despite her dreary routine. Meanwhile, Jussi Vatanen renders Holappa's alcoholism with nuance, eliciting empathy for a flawed man seeking salvation. As their bond develops, Pöysti and Vatanen paint a touching portrait of two marginalised people finding belonging in each other. Visually, Kaurismäki evokes the loneliness of modern life through static shots of Helsinki's empty streets and sterile workplaces. Yet as Ansa and Holappa's relationship blossoms, traces of hope emerge via tender moments like a dinner date or a stroll by in a leaf-laden park. In the end, Fallen Leaves is a timely reminder that human connection can flourish even in the most unlikely circumstances.

Image: YouTube