The Man Without a Past

An unusual film. It's very cold and detached and yet it ends up feeling very sweet. There's no question that amnesia as a plot device is fairly played out by now, but Kaurismäki puts an interesting spin on it in that the main character takes his memory loss in his stride to a surprising extent.

Essentially, it's neither an artistic achievement -- a tale of dignity or the importance of care and kindness, some might say --, nor a deadpan comedy, some sort of european Wes Anderson with an european cool soundtrack. The thing is: Kaurismaki's still camera seems to be picturing not just a touching story of a nameless man trying to get back on track, but a dull sense of epic greatness or filmmaking poetry. I found that very pretentious.

Amnesia is a hackneyed device, but it's refreshing to see a movie where the victim isn't laser-focused on recovering his memory. Instead, the amnesia (besides being a bureaucratic headache) serves as a springboard to a new personality. Ultimately, the film raises questions about the nature of identity. It takes a while to generate interest, the laughs are kinda far apart, and there's not enough Kati Outinen in it. But it's a sweet story with likeable characters and a tender romance.

A subtle but hilarious comedy drama about a man who loses his memory and everything he has, to create new friendships and a new life. Although it is so subdued, there's a lot of emotion here.

Facing a bleak and chaotic existence with irreverence, stoicism and compassion. Cure for all ills.

Very detached and unsentimental, and yet also really sweet. It has some wonderful dry humour to it, and manages to take the story in more interesting directions than you'd expect. The only thing holding it back is that it can at times feel like a collection of scenes that don't totally coalesce, but considering how much I enjoyed it this is a minor complaint.

A lovely film about human kindness and the inhumanity of institutions, completely unsentimental and laced with bone-dry Finnish humour. A treat.

In the second installation of the Finland AKA Loser trilogy, Kaurismäki utilizes a premise as old as Random Harvest (1942) - man loses identity due to amnesia - but with magnificent results. Characteristically, it is a kind film about a harsh reality, with Kati Outinen exploding with talent in her supporting role. One of the director's brightest, most amusing and riveting works.

A man walks off a train and is mugged. Left for dead multiple times, he survives but has amnesia. Without a past, he builds from scratch. But when he finishes assembling a life he's not sure he'd choose to the old one, even if he could figure it out. A compelling movie. Very humanistic and believable. Highly recommended.

"if you see me face down in the gutter, turn me onto my back"

More a rough assemblage of incidents than a firmly plotted drama, which might have worked better if Peltola’s performance wasn’t so inscrutable – with an empty void as the lead, this makes the rest of the characters difficult to relate to, or ultimately to find compelling; there comes a point where the arch and pretentious presentation drives a wedge between the film and the audience. An interesting idea to present a memory-loss story where the memory-loss becomes an almost redundant MacGuffin.

A man finds closure and starts over, changing the lives of those he meets along the way, who also change his life through their kindness. It's a tad drab at points, but it doesn't take away from its charms as a non-conventional comedy. Hannibal deserves the world.

I have really grown to enjoy Kaurismäki's style of deadpan humor. The way the characters talk and think and act, it's very wry and comes out completely unnatural like it's a stage play. It brings a lot to the story and it makes the scenes way funny a lot of the time. It's difficult to explain, but it just works. The story is compelling, showing us someone trying to climb from the very bottom to reach for life again.

Almost too quiet.

O Homem Sem Passado estreava há 20 anos no Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Eu gostava mais da primeira metade da carreira do Kaurismaki (anos 80 e 90), os filmes dele dos últimos 20 anos perderam alguma coisa que não sei exatamente o quê, mas que faz uma falta danada. BlurayRip no MakingOff.

Artistically nice movie; a man and his daily struggles to survive

Kaurismäki jumps up higher in my list of directors I've seen work of with this and Lights in the Dusk (2006), this film both incredibly hilarious and unbelievably touching. In its deadpan nature is nonetheless touches one's heart, thus proving romance doesn't have to be portrayed as maudlin, as much as amnesia as a plot doesn't have to feel unoriginal as it is shown here. Its great art even if the director he's sarcastic and ironic at points.

88.500

If you manage to sit through the first 20 minutes or so it actually becomes quite charming.

Star Rating: ★★★

Host ratings: - / 80 / 77. Podcast review link: https://rydeorwrong.podcaster.de/rydeorwrong/folge-061-der-mann-ohne-vergangenheit-2002/

Little fun, much melodram

Probably the best Kaurismäki film I've seen in recent years. A both bleak and warm Prince Mushkin-style story about a man who, after being beaten within an inch of his life, loses his memory and tries to survive as a homeless man in Helsinki.

A very funny entry in the subgenre of Scandinavian comedies with taciturn and quirky characters. Extremely low-key in terms of plot, but you'll grow to love these characters. Surprisingly heartwarming for a movie that opens with a violent mugging.

Very funny tale of a man who gets another chance at life after loosing his memory after a violent mugging. Along the way he meets a charming cast of quirky characters in the outskirts of Helsinki's hobo community. The ending is surprisingly wholesome and heartwarming.

The best work from finnish director/writer Aki Kaurismäki. With this movie we can enjoy the trip of a man who's memory is totally lost after brutal beating. Even there is some sadness present all the time, this trip is pure bliss to viewers. One of the best movies of 2002.

Simultaneously light and dark, sweet and harsh, it's a unique experience that's enjoyable even while it distances you.

A hard movie for non-Finns dialogue-wise. It's most of its - and most of Kaurismäki films - charm.

Not bad but rather slight

Mies vailla menneisyyttä

I'm not a big Kaurismäki fan.

Wow, great acting from all, great script.. Kaurismäki is just undescribably good.

Existential black comedy contrasts society's emphasis on the importance of identity with the individual and idiosyncratic imprint that makes each of us unique. Fascinating and funny.

Mies vailla menneisyyttä: 8 // 7 // 4 // 9 // 9 // 6 // 7

The acting felt quite detached, and sometimes stiff, which made it hard to relate to a lot of what was happening. It's nice that the memory loss cliché for once didn't lead towards some final life-affirming / shocking reveal. There is a certain charm to this movie about starting anew among the dregs, but it never managed to really draw me in.

Saw it in 2002 so can't say I remember it all that clearly, but I do remember considering it brilliant at the time.

Fun the Finnish way

#02#, reviews, story

91.000

"Though his engagement of silent idiom recalls Chaplin, his leisurely pacing brings to mind Jarmusch." - Ed Gonzalez

My first Aki Kaurismäki film ... and it was great!

...and I always thought this is a sad movie about sad people. I was wrong.

I was never a big fan of Kaurismaki's, always felt he's a bit pretentious and over the top, but I liked this one. Charming.

A very touching film by Aki Kaurismäki.

Kaurismaki's deadpan brilliance makes for a thoroughly original take on the familiar man-gets-hit-on-head-and-loses-memory plot device.