I'm completely with it for the first hour or so which is really funny, emotionally engaging (swwwwwooooooooooonnnn) and even in its more absurd moments it remains convincing. The last ten minutes falter a bit for me, all the gangsters and guns stuff feels very odd and out of place in a Kaurismaki film, but I still very much enjoyed the film.

Surprisingly positive at some moments. But a typical Kaurismäki most of the time.

Taisto is an essentially good working-class guy who perseveres when the going gets tough, even when it means doing bad things. His luck is like a roller-coaster, and it's hard not to root for him through better and worse. Minimalistic, dark but brisk, a very good movie.

Unmistakably Aki, capturing the dizzying highs and terrifying lows of life by aiming his camera directly at the unaffected middle, then holding the shot for an eternity. This movie makes me wish I could wake up tomorrow Finnish, instead of just drunk and suicidal.

Is this the Scandinavian answer to Down By Law?

Awfully similar to Drifting Clouds, although different in enough ways too. Working-class guy, string of bad luck, vaguely happy ending. Long takes, relevant soundtrack, offscreen action, minimal dialogue, very dry humor.