Friday, March 30, 2012

Kulman pojat / Fanatics

Fanatiker. FI © 2012 Bronson Club. EX: Jukka Helle, Markus Selin. P: Jesse Fryckman, Oskari Huttu. D: Teppo Airaksinen. SC: Jaakko Kaján, Teppo Airaksinen. DP: Teppo Högman - RED - 2,35:1. PD: Otso Linnalaakso. Cost: Henna-Riikka Taskinen. Makeup: Saara Räisänen. M: Arto Tuunela. "Me ollaan sankareita". S: Karri Niinivaara. ED: Jussi Rautaniemi. Loc: Joensuu. C: Eero Ritala (Petri), Joonas Saartamo (Commander), Jussi Vatanen (Tuukka Tiensuu), Lotta Kaihua (Emmi), Janne Ravi (Sarttila), Antti Väre (Terho), Ville Tiihonen (Vesander). 85 min. Released by Nordisk with Swedish subtitles by Saliven Gustavsson. 2K DCP viewed at Tennispalatsi 12, Helsinki, 30 March 2012.

From the official production information:

"A comedy about a bunch of pals brought together by friendship, a rough sense of humour, a common enemy and a burning love for football. The stars are the popular young actors Eero Ritala, Joonas Saartamo, and Jussi Vatanen."

"Petri (Eero Ritala) wastes his future doing odd jobs in a small sports store in a little Eastern Finnish town. His best friends include the big-mouthed Commander (Joonas Saartamo), the bossy leader of the bunch. His pranks are always eagerly executed by Sarttila (Janne Ravi) and the former great white hope of the hometown Terho (Antti Väre). Summer days and nights are spent making mayhem."

"The foursome are passionate fans of the unfortunate football team called Kulman Pallo. Its worst enemy is the candy-ass AC United which manages to hire a national level player, Tuukka Tiensuu (Jussi Vatanen). Tiensuu the dream  prince gets a hero's welcome and gives the boys a chill."

"The boys' football mania annoys endlessly Vesander (Ville Tiihonen), Eero's bitterly nihilistic workmate who prefers the suburban bar counter to the football auditorium."

"Friends and leisure activities have always meant everything for Petri, but his life is turned upside down when he meets Emmi, the woman of his life (Lotta Kaihua). Instantly the girl wins Petri's heart and makes all the other guys jealous. Petri's happiness would be complete if Emmi didn't support the opposite team and if she didn't have a special relationship with the arch-enemy, the dream lover Tuukka Tiensuu."

A coming-of-age story of 30ish young men living a life of prolonged youth. There is a strong current of male energy in the picture. The dialogue is dynamic and spontaneous. The attractive Lotta Kaihua carries very well her role as the woman who changes it all. The clumsy pick-up scene is good and the embarrasing turning-points of the relationship ring true to life. The location is a small town (Joensuu) where the sports store is closed and Petri gets a job at the grinding machine.

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