Rebecca Lynn
A touching, yet bizarre, glimpse into the life of an amnesiacAbove all, The Man Without a Past, directed by Aki Kaurismaki, is an undeniably strange movie. A nuanced, minimalistic tale about the kindness of strangers and the small joys of a difficult life, this film is an acquired taste, but certainly one worth seeing.The movie begins with The Man (played by Markku Peltola and henceforth to be referred to as M) stepping off his train and falling asleep on a park bench. He is then attacked by thugs, who steal all of his valuables and identifying information, before leaving him unconscious in a park, contents of his suitcase thrown on top of him. The hospital declares him dead ("of course he's dead, they wrapped his whole head in bandages, he can't breathe!" one of the other viewers exclaimed) but M has incredible resilience, and leaves the hospital, but not before resetting his broken nose (the whole audience screamed in disgust at this point).We soon learn that M has amnesia, and cannot remember his job, his reason for being in the city, or even his name. And unfortunately, Finland does not seem to be kind to people with no names. Try as he might, without a name, M cannot get a job, open a bank account, or get out of jail, as he might somehow be a threat to the country.The people on the outskirts of the city live in poverty, making homes out of old storage containers on a stony beach. But they make the most of the little that they have, sharing among the community. One such family finds M washed up on the beach and nurses him back to health, asking nothing in return. This kindness is casual, coming as naturally as breathing to the family. The people with the least end up doing the most to help M start a life.Going out to dinner means visiting the Salvation Army soup line. It is here that M meets Irma (played by Kati Outinen), a stony faced but sweet Salvation Army worker, who shares his love for music. M and Irma's relationship is tender and innocent. In a touching scene, Irma spreads out her small makeup collection and inexpertly applies mascara before her date with M. At his home, he prepares her dinner ("I think it's ruined already," M says after Irma offers to help him cook) and they sit together listening to rock and roll on M's jukebox. Little chemistry seems to exist between the two characters, a man with no past and a woman who has spent her whole life being emotionally closed off, but somehow, that's part of the appeal.While many films use amnesia as a tired plot device for a character to explore the mystery of his past, The Man Without a Past is just the opposite; M's amnesia presents an opportunity for rebirth. M brings life to this little, impoverished community, transforming the bland Salvation Army band into a rock band, even including the Salvation Army director as lead female vocalist. Watching M's new life unfold, we begin to realize that we don't want M to recover the past. But just as he begins to settle in, his former life comes calling back and he is forced to face his past life. M discovers the unhappiness of his former marriage, and apologizes to his ex-wife for the trouble he caused her. There's no big falling out or dramatic response (minus the strange, almost fight with the wife's new man over her honor). The interaction ends here, and M can return to his community in the city. We are happy for everyone: M, Irma, M's ex-wife, and even her new boyfriend. The film ends with a quiet sense of contentment.As my first exposure to Finnish film, The Man Without a Past was a bit difficult for me to grasp. The movie is subtle, and deeply ironic. Those uninitiated to Nordic film may find themselves in over their head. The movie's somber moments are often interrupted by outbreaks of sheer absurdity. "Do you mind if I smoke?" M asks the bank teller he is trapped in a vault with, just moments after expressing concern about running out of oxygen (What a situation!). She responds, bizarrely, with, "Does a tree mourn its fallen leaves?" Overall dialog is oddly stilted and formal, as if read off a teleprompter, and the actors don't act so much as exist, save the moments where they are dramatically staring off into the distance. This dry playfulness may end up being lost on viewers who aren't used to such a style. The Man Without a Past most definitely is not for everyone. But, viewers who want a movie that will challenge their perceptions about film while leaving them strangely uplifted, Kaurismaki's romantic drama/comedy is worth watching.
Ellen Hawley
A Man Without a Past is a feel good movie about a man who is persistent and wants to make his way in life without bothering others. Just as the title suggests, the story follows a man who does not remember anything about his past. He was beat up by thugs in a park; when he woke up, he could not remember his name, where he was from, or any other personal information. I enjoyed watching this movie because I felt an emotional connection to the main character. I found myself feeling bad for the main character because of all the trials that he is forced to go through despite his motivation and desire to live a normal life. His life is hectic and unknown, yet all he wants to do is live in peace with the rest of the world. He goes through the same basic trials as normal people and deals with all of his mishaps in a very reasonable way.Themes that are developed throughout the film include friendships and relationships and the trust that comes along with these relationships; homelessness in Finland is also portrayed throughout the film by showing many characters who live in less than desirable housing and do not work. The main character is shown traveling in the beginning of the film and continues traveling throughout the movie. He is first introduced on a train ride as he is traveling somewhere. We do not know where, just that he is on his way somewhere. Throughout the film, he travels small distances and learns about himself as he goes on these short journeys. The main character develops relationships with many of the other characters in the film. These relationships add to the story and give depth to the plot. He first meets a man and his family who help him back to health after he is beaten. For no reason at all, the family helps the man and are kind and generous towards him. Although the family is kind to the man and offer him a place to stay, he wants to be independent and not have to rely on charity. He finds a small shack to stay in for minimal rent. Throughout the film, he develops a relationship with the man that he is renting the shack from. The relationship starts out rocky because the land lord is threatening and harsh, however, by the end, they act as friends would towards each other. The main character also develops a romantic relationship with a female friend, Irma. At first, Irma is apprehensive about starting a relationship; their relationship may be seen as inappropriate because Irma works at the Salvation Army that he receives hand outs from. When the two characters are shown together, they are cordial but also seem uncomfortable and make the viewer feel awkward. However, their relationship adds to the film by showing how the main character is able to move on and continue his life, despite all of the unknowns. In all of these relationships, trust between characters is very evident. Even though none of the characters have known each other for very long, they learn that there is a need to rely on others and be reliable for others if they are going to be prosperous. The overarching theme of trust adds to the film and the "feel good" vibe that it gives off.Homeless is represented in the movie by showing many characters who live with minimal housing and food. These characters are portrayed as lazy and incompetent. They are taken care of by others who provide them with soup once a week and other handouts. The main character, who is also homeless, acts differently than other homeless characters. Despite his situation, he does his best to provide for himself and live an honest life. He works hard and does his best given his circumstances. I was impressed by his determination to get back on his feet and provide for himself.A Man Without a Past left me feeling fulfilled after watching it. I was impressed by the main character's attitude about his situation. He does not give up and just wants to have a normal life. As the relationships between characters develop throughout the film, we are able to see the impact that someone can have on another person's life. We are also able to see the importance of having a support system. I think that everyone goes through some sort of trial in their life and is able to relate to this movie on some level.
