Facing a marital crisis, a couple venture into the world of polyamory in Selma Vilhunen's Finnish relationship drama.
Can infidelity turn into polyamory? When Equality Party MP Juulia (Alma Pöysti) discovers that her vicar husband Matias (Eero Milonoff) has been having an affair, she begins to seriously grapple with this quandary, and ends up suggesting to him and his paramour, Enni (Oona Airola) that they should keep seeing each other. This comes early on in the film’s first half as an abrupt and overt impetus to drive Juulia towards the final puzzle piece to complete the quartet: Miska (Pietu Wikström). But this is fine! Maybe we’re in for some interesting politics in terms of how the decision to have multiple partners plays out in the married pairs’ professions? Well, not exactly…
This is more an exploration of adults as fragile (and hence “little”) beings, especially when adjusting to new circumstances, which is employed with cute, infantilising tricks: Enni stopping in her tracks and plopping down in the middle of a public path, legs akimbo; Juulia seeking consolation by climbing into Matias’ lap the way a child would; Miska hiding under the covers to avoid a moment of confrontation. The messiness is more than welcome, and Vilhunen doesn’t shy away from the ugly stuff. The film is underscored by endearing and comedic moments that keep it from falling flat, but it’s ultimately challenging to see beyond the structurally rote contrivances on display.
Little White Lies is committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them.
Published 6 Jun 2024
Ready for more Alma Pöysti after a great performance in Fallen Leaves.
Baffled by Matias’ lack of rizz. How do both these women want to be with him?!
Earnest as a conversation-starter about polyamory, but let down by its more soapy trappings.
By Mark Asch
Two strangers meet on a fateful train journey from Moscow to the Arctic Circle in Juho Kuosmanen’s romantic drama.
Another gorgeous tragicomic farce from Finnish maestro Aki Kaurismäki, a heartfelt cinephile ode to the possibility of love among the working classes.
Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.
