Kolme viisasta miestä

Tre visa män / Three Wise Men. FI (c) 2008 Marianna Films. D: Mika Kaurismäki. SC: MK and Petri Karra with dialogue written by the actors, themselves. DP: Rauno Ronkainen - 35mm print from digital intermediate. The men: Kari Heiskanen (Erkki, a photographer with terminal cancer), Pertti Sveholm (Matti, a policeman whose Russian wife gives birth to a baby), Timo Torikka (Rauno, an actor working in France). With: Elena Spirina (Taina, Matti's wife), Tommi Eronen (Tero, Rauno's son), Irina Björklund (Magdaleena, convalescent of depression), Pirkko Hämäläinen (Tiina, the mother of Erkki's son), Riitta Havukainen (Riitta), Aake Kalliala (the karaoke host), Peter Franzén (Santa Claus), Heikki Orama (opera singer). 105 min. Released by FS Film without subtitles. Viewed at Kinopalatsi 6, Helsinki, 28 Nov 2008. - The film is a homage to John Cassavetes. - A digital video look. - Inspired by Husbands by John Cassavetes, a Christmas story of three men's midlife crisis, which mostly takes place in an empty karaoke bar with karaoke songs by each (fun: "Kuka mitä häh"). They face their emptiness, self-deception and livsløgnen [Henrik Ibsen's term, life lie, the foundation lie]. - Interesting stuff but with a quickie touch.