IMDb user comments for
Nousukausi (2003)

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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Or should it be 'downswing'?, 18 November 2004
Author: Harry T. Yung (harry_tk_yung@yahoo.com) from Hong Kong

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Spoilers

Caught this short (98 minutes) Finnish comedy in a 'Euro Vision' festival in town. While this film is a 2003 production, the fact that the handful of comments on IMDb is almost entirely from Finland may suggest that it hasn't got much exposure elsewhere.

The plot carries marks of originality. A yuppy couple Janne (an IT wiz) and Katri (a sough-after graphic designer) looking for an unusual vacation signs up with Invisible Hand Vacation for the 'unemployed poor' experience, a month in the housing projects with nothing but four envelopes of weekly cash that allows them to barely keep body and soul together. (For the sake of enjoyment of the movie, let's not argue about whether an educated couple should be so gullible). The first half of the film treads lightly along this path, as we see how the couple adapts to this play-world poverty but actually blending in with the real people living in this neighbourhood. There are some very funny moments as well as interesting insight into how the minds of these two people work under this made-believe poverty.

In the middle of the movie, events start to turn a little nasty as the vacation turns out to be one big con job. Things get a bit melodramatic from this point on, losing some of the freshness that came before. Sometimes satirical, sometime farcically, the mood nevertheless does not get carried so far as to become noire.

One scene that I really like is close to the beginning, with the couple discussing this vacation package in their plush kitchen. As Janne goes through the material in the web site, we see detailed, close up shots of Katri making gourmet coffee from an expensive domestic coffee machines, from grinding of beans to the rich coffee finally flowing out into the two beautiful cups. I could almost smell the aroma. This is a sharp contrast of what we see later, Katri sweating in their run down 'vacation' apartment, pouring dirty-looking water from a plastic jar into a plastic cup.

The acting is good from both of the main characters, as well as the supporting cast. While not particularly profound or inspiring, this movie is entertaining and enjoyable.

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7 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
are Ole & Lena really gullible?, 19 January 2004

Author: FilmLabRat

If you know any of the old Norse "Ole and Lena" (Norwegian or Swedish jokes akin to "Polish jokes"), you will understand this updated illustration of the tendency of Scandinavians to be tricked or embarrass themselves. [saying this being one] This story gives the audience an interesting ride that is both exhilarating and painful - and definitely original.

A young upwardly-mobile couple get sucked into a downward, terrifying spiral that ends up changing their lives in a number of positive ways.

Kudos on a great story, fine sense of struggle, nice direction and wonderful performances. Absolutely well worth watching if not one of the best foreign films I've seen in the past year.

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
watchable and enjoyable *** CONTAINS SPOILERS ***, 27 October 2004
Author: valkyrie31 from Helsinki, Finland

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Maybe you have to live in Finland to truly get it, but I thought this film was funny and entertaining. Despite a couple of plot holes the premise was great (rich yuppies paying good money for an 'extreme' experience of living on the dole!) and played on the stereotypical idea of the trustworthy (and hence trusting) Finn who is honest to a fault being prey to more corrupt characters.

The sex scene might have been "gratuitous", but it was also funny and Kari-Pekka Toivonen is just plain lovely in it. And it was a point well made about how easy it is to behave in a different way when you find yourself in a different setting.

All in all this was an entertaining and rather gentle film. Enjoy!

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1 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Not that good, 25 February 2004
Author: Member

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

***Possible spoilers***

I did not really have terribly high expectations about this film which was good because this film cannot live up to pretty much any expectations. The story is a bit contrived but if you manage to forgive that there is a story there behind all the over-acting and else. The main character in my mind was not the couple but the 'holiday-salesman' who becomes a kind of an ugly symbol for the type of spirit which is becoming more and more common in Finland. The film has won some prizes, quite undeservedly in my opinion.

If I would have made this film I would have focused more on the salesman and not dwelled too much on the completely idiotic couple, now the film becomes very lame and fails to entertain. The gratuitous sex scene was the last drop for me although some may be entertained.

3/10.

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1 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Not just a comedy, 18 March 2003

Author: cinna665 from Helsinki, Finland

I have really enjoyed myself lately the new Finnish movies as they get better and better! Nousukausi is a brilliant movie, made of a fresh and new idea. It is not only a comedy, even though it gave me huge laughs during the viewing. It is also a bit of a drama, focusing on the reality of a relationship of a two rich and talented young people, whose life is in every aspect in order -or is it?

The movie focuses cleverly on the today's values in the society, and how they affect on young people. It shows us with the means of comedy how it is like when everything you have gained and relied on is taken away from you and suddenly you have to survive without the help from the surrounding society. And in this Nousukausi succeeds very well, making it very enjoyable watching!

Definitely an enjoyable movie experience in Finnish movies!

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1 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
A different kind of Finnish Comedy, 6 December 2004

Author: Teemu Polo from Oulu

Quite frankly, I had totally different kind of anticipations for this film, and I was very strongly taken by surprise when I actually viewed the film-- And very positively so.

Is the Finnish title perhaps misleading, if so, is it for purpose? :-)

I'd actually categorize this as 'Drama-Comedy' or something. And as comedy, I'd acknowledge this being a different kind of representative in that genre, especially for a team of Finns.

I'm not sure how foreigners could understand this film as Finns do, as I expect many of symbols (such as places etc) have distinct meaning for Finns. And for sure that might be true also for people living outside Helsinki.

But the actors were great, and plot -- even though pretty simple -- has funny indeed, and there was couple of twists and turns in it to keep one on toes.

I recommend this for a nice, light and easy entertainment for a Tuesday/Thursday evening. Not to be taken too seriously.

BR; --Tarra

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6 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
It's not good..., 15 February 2004

Author: muzaq from Finland

This movie is so mild! I tried not to expect anything greater from this film, but still it was a big disappointment. The basic idea of the story is interesting and potential. This could have been so much better. The characters are really simple, no depth at all. It's a shame that previously talented performers Tiina Lymi and Petteri Summanen didn't make the already poor characters any better. The director just don't get the watcher emotionally involved at all with this piece of cr*p.

And the the chase sequence at the end of the movie. That's hideous!!!

Why there had to be so stupid and old solution for that situation?

It's too much used element with even more terrible way of filming it. OH NO!

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0 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
shortly, 28 July 2004

Author: Tiina from Finland

I think that movie was fun, brilliant rain day activity.

And the DVD includes good music video from the greatest band Egotrippi.

Tiina Lymi and Petteri Summanen are magnificent together! This movie have won 3 Jussi-award. Best movie, best script (Mika Ripatti) and best music (Kerkko Koskinen) and I think that movie has really earned the all. It's fun but in the same time dramatic movie. I didn't felt disappointed after seeing this film. It is one of the best films in Finland. But this is only my opinion.

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3 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
dumb people in a pretty dumb flick., 14 September 2004
Author: Johan (doomsmeister@yahoo.de)

...so if you don't get easily upset at how stupid someone can be, i guess the movie can be funny. otherwise, it's just horribly dumb. yes, there are the usual "lessons" to be picked up at the film; it is not completely trash... it's just dumb. that's all. i don't know these actors, it's the first time i have ever seen them but they seem like they can do something so much more, something better. maybe they should have inserted some sense of reality in the film... like making them less dumb, because i really don't think someone can be that gullible. if the director's intention was to make it a mild, feel-good kind of movie, he should have skipped all the drama and the betrayal in it, but then, what would become of the story?

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1 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Comments regarding the movie shooting sites, 12 March 2003

Author: peterkangas (peter.kangas@iki.fi) from Vantaa, Finland

They claim that the movie tell about Jakomäki, a suburb in Helsinki Finland. In fact, quite a lot of scenes were shot in Hakunila, a suburb in Vantaa, Finland. For instance, the Siwa the couple visited is located in Hakunila; the flea market was held at approximately the same site, as well as the pub where Petteri and his neighbour had a beer.

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