HYMYILEVÄ MIES
Director: Juho Kuosmanen
Writers: Juho Kuosmanen, Mikko Myllylahti
Stars: Eero Milonoff, Joonas Saartamo, Oona Airola
Runtime: 92 minutes
Review: Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen's Hymyilevä Mies (The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki) is a candid, unvarnished tale about one of Finland's first international feats: on 17th August 1962, small-town amateur boxer Olli Mäki fought American world champion Davey Moore during the world championship final – an event that was also the first ever professional boxing match to be held in Finland.
Kuosmanen's film describes the excitement and about this event, national pride and promises of a Finnish world champion, which put the provincial boxer under intense pressure. This is luckily no remake of a Rocky movie. It is as non-spectacular as its main character, his understated persona escaping the glamorous world of professional boxing, sponsors, press, photographers.
Strong stylistic choices definitely distinguish Kuosmanen's film from other Un Certain Regard entries. Hymyilevä Mies carries a reminiscence of neo-realist aesthetic, the choice of a black-and-white, extremely grainy and rough image paired with the simplicity of its main characters. The often hand-held camera stays close to them, pausing on ordinary moments amidst the hype of the match.
A splendidly told and splendidly made debut that certainly impresses, Juho Kuosmanen's Hymyilevä Mies suggests great promise for the future, with as much deadpan humour as reserved emotional expression, and just the right balance of style and story.
Reviewed by Mohaiminul Islam
Comments