Another Movie Recommendation

Last night Tom and I watched The Man Without a Past. I hardly know what to say about this film, so I'll let Roger Ebert say it here.

It was after nine when we began watching this movie, so we intended only watching half, then finishing it today. Traditional mid-lifers, we fall asleep early most nights. Er hem.

But there was no sleeping during The Man Without a Past. It's a movie made in Finland--one of those treasures where you don't mind reading subtitles. We believe it was supposed to take place in modern times, yet the whole feeling was extremely 1965. 

It's a slow-paced film, so if you prefer fast-paced thrillers, forget this one.

So decent, really, and not one single instance of swearing (though I don't promise there is none--just that neither of us remembered any.) The only reason it is rated PG-13 is for the very violent scene in the first five minutes (I closed my eyes). 

We loved the parts with the Salvation Army workers. Listening to their songs, you'd think this was a Christian film. There was such sweetness in this film--and yet a lot of unkindness, too. In fact, early in the movie I paused it and turned to Tom and said, "You know... For the first time in my life I can understand how people in other countries could easily size-up the United States according to our movies-- how they might assume our people and our Country look and feel exactly like any movie may happen to portray them. Because that's exactly how I'm feeling right now about Finland... like, 'Remind me never to go there because the people appear to be so mean and unfeeling.' But good grief! I'm making that judgment after watching only 15 minutes of this movie. What a good lesson."

Anyway, read Roger Ebert's review for a closer look at what the movie is about. It was haunting, a film that sticks with you for days. And when the night watchman's wife says, "We were lucky to get this place," -- "this place" being a big metal shipping container in which they're living, well, maybe that will shake you as it shook me, also, especially when you glimpse the shipping container neighborhood.

We all have so much. Oh, how grateful we should be.

******


P.S. If you enjoyed the movie, Dear Frankie, you will most likely enjoy this one, also.