Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern day cinema, with its high-definition visuals and gripping special effects, Aki Kaurismäki’s ‘Fallen Leaves’ emerges as a gentle whisper, carrying weight far beyond its minimalist approach. With nostalgic overtones, the Finnish film landscape once more becomes the canvas for Kaurismäki’s latest work, which through its simplicity, beautifully encapsulates the essence of human connection and love.
‘Fallen Leaves’ transcends the here and now, offering an experience akin to finding an old photograph tucked away in a book – undefined by time, yet so palpably charged with emotion. Helsinki is where our romance unfurls; a city presented so timelessly, one might easily overlook any indications the 21st century is upon us. This is Kaurismäki’s mastery – the ability to render time and place as mere backdrops to the universality of human emotions.
Our protagonists Ansa and Holappa, portrayed with compelling authenticity by Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen respectively, lead us on a journey that begins in the familiarity of a local karaoke bar. It is an ordinary night that ignites the extraordinary, as their lives become intertwined. Love blossoms between Ansa and Holappa, a delicate bud facing the harsh weathers of miscommunications and personal fears that batter their hopes for a serene romance. Yet, their struggle is not forlorn; Kaurismäki would not let us witness their endeavor without rooting for their victory over these trials.
The true spirit of the film, however, lies not in its resolution but the verdant path of internal contemplation and silent battles that our characters endure for the sake of love. They are ordinary in their attire and vocations, yet resist being defined by the passage of time. When Ansa tunes into the radio, the stark reality of overseas conflicts reminds us of the world’s timeline. Aside from such sparse instances, we are left untethered from the concrete anchors of a specific era, an omission that brilliantly reinforces the film’s theme of timelessness.
Kaurismäki has aptly described ‘Fallen Leaves’ as a spiritual successor to his revered works of the 80s and 90s: ‘Shadows in Paradise’, ‘Ariel’, and ‘The Match Factory Girl’. This film cohesively threads the social fabrics of those times with contemporary sentiments, erasing superficial distinctions and affirming that challenges of the human heart remain constant, irrespective of temporal context.
Both Ansa and Holappa embody this era-defying struggle. Their personal battles, against loneliness and addiction, set them adrift in seas of confusion and hesitation. Yet, ‘Fallen Leaves’ refuses to limit them to being cogs in the economic machine. As members of the working class, their lives brim with passions, fears, and dreams that transcend their jobs. Ansa’s poverty and Holappa’s battle with sobriety form tangents to their deeper universe, one where each must confront their vulnerabilities and the specter of alcoholism that haunts their past and threatens their future love.
The depth of ‘Fallen Leaves’ resonates within its tempered visual style, at once subtle and deeply affecting. With a brisk duration of just under an hour and a half, the film allows the audience to leisurely absorb the profound lessons on tenderness and compassion we owe to ourselves and our loved ones. It is in mastering such emotional complexity with remarkable restraint that Kaurismäki crafts a poignant reminder of our shared humanity.
Should you wish to journey into a world undisturbed by the trappings of time, where love’s language is spoken in quiet yet overwhelming volumes, ‘Fallen Leaves’ awaits you on the streaming platform Mubi. The film stands as a testament to Kaurismäki’s enduring legacy, inviting us to reflect on the time-worn yet ever-relevant narratives of the human heart.
