Drifting Clouds (1996)

Aki Kaurismäki makes the same movie over and over again. To some, that is a bad thing, an evident lack of imagination and renewal. I have kind of taken a liking to the world of Kaurismäki. Helsinki stripped down to a few bars, empty streets, trams. Conversational exchange no more complicated than "Do you want tea?" "I want coffee." And music, always the music. In one lengthy scene of Drifting clouds, we see a tango band perform. The musicians are elderly gentleman, silverhaired professionals. They perform two songs. The camera does not interrupt. Dubrovnik, a resaurant, is about to close. This is the last, mournful night. The band honors the history of the place. The backbone of the story is a bittersweet tale about capitalism and work. A deep economic crisis leaves the two main characters of the film, a couple, without work. Ilona was headwaiter at Dubrovnik. Lauri drove a tram. Without work, their life falls apart (but interestingly, not their relationship). At the end of the film, a decision is made. They want work, but it is not easy to find oneself a job where one is not fooled. The political message of the film can be interpreted in several ways, but one thing that is clear is that banks cannot be trusted and that Capital and Work are two different spheres: Capital is not interested in work. But if Capital is owned by a kind-hearted individual, things are different. But it is not its politics that make Drifting clouds a beautiful film, it's the style, and Kaurismäki's deadpan and unsentimental sense of humor. It's a heartwarming feel-good film that will probably leave you with a smile on your face. What it is not: it is not character progression, it is not a psychological investigation into the stress that unemployment will result in - and it is not a political film in the sense that it would have anything very interesting to say about economic structures. - On the other hand, this movie is a touching image of love and affection in that the film depicts a relationship that is never emotionally problematic. Yet, as you might have guessed, this is not your ordinary representation of devotion.