Fallen Leaves (2023)
With this fourth watched film by Aki Kaurismäki I think he finally really clicked for me. His odd unique style and approach to storytelling makes sense now, though it is hard to describe exactly why. With the exception of a brief use of a modern laptop and the news on the radio about the war in Ukraine, the setting could easily have been in the 1990s as in the present. This make it similar to his other works like The Man Without a Past and The Match Factory Girl that also appear timeless.
I guess this could be categorized as a romantic comedy of sorts, though sort of light it both aspects. At least on the surface as the acting is very restrained and devoid of almost all expressions of emotion. The usual deadpan humor doesn’t come as often, but it appears when you least expect making the impact much greater. Like when Ansa goes shopping for the data. This very minimalist filmmaking demands the viewer to fill in the blanks, making it all the more powerful when the actors reveal some emotions at pivotal moments.
I don’t know understand how Kaurismäki does it, because on paper this shouldn’t really work as well as it does. My taste is generally partial to subtle acting, but this is beyond subtle - it is closer to anti-acting. Yet the mere presence of Alma Pöysti, who reminds me a lot of Liv Ullmann, is totally mesmerizing. The sparse minimal dialogue gives room for the visuals and my own thoughts, compared to say most western romantic comedies that are often very talky.
I’ll add Aki Kaurismäki to my list of favorite auteurs alongside Bergman, Kieslowski, Wong-kar Wai and Haneke.
Rating: 5