Bottom Row (L-R): THE SALESMAN (Film Iran / Memento Films); The Dead Don’t Hurt (Scanbox Entertainment).
In this post, I’ll give you my thoughts on my first Aki Kaurismäki experience, a 2-time Cannes award winning Farhadi film, an underseen Joaquin Phoenix film, and Viggo Mortensen’s latest film as a writer-director.
F.A.Q.
- What are Additional Bite-Sized Reviews?
– My movie and television catch-up review series ‘Additional Bite-Sized Reviews‘ is an evolution of the Overview-article section previously titled ‘What I Didn’t Write About.’ In articles such as this one, I will provide my readers with my thoughts on select new films, new shows, or even classics that I feel like giving my thoughts on relatively briefly, since I don’t have the time to dedicate thorough reviews to them at this point in time. - Why do the bite-sized reviews not include either a letter grade or a review score?
– In my full and thorough reviews, I like to score or grade what I watch. But since these reviews aren’t as detailed, I think it is fairer to the films and shows to simply just decide whether or not to recommend them. I guess you could say this is the only type of review that is basically ‘scored’ with the classic thumbs-up/thumbs-down-method on my site, though sometimes my recommendation answer comes with a caveat.
Fallen Leaves | Film | Directed by Aki Kaurismäki | Screenplay by Aki Kaurismäki | Release Year: 2023 | Recommended?: Yes.
“Tough guys don’t sing.”
“You’re not a tough guy. Maybe abroad. In Denmark, maybe.”
I believe this is my first Kaurismäki experience, and I must say that I really enjoyed this film. His matter-of-fact, unembellished visual style pairs well with the constant deadpan comedy dialogue. And despite it being almost matter-of-fact, there is still this alluring and perplexing anachronism to it that really works for it, as it sounds modern (i.e. the radio) while it looks like a late 20th-century flick. I’m gonna have to think about why that is the case, though I guess it may be a way to emphasize the timelessness of these working-class people and their struggles.
I found it to be both really funny (I enjoyed the lighthearted jab at Denmark) and disarmingly romantic and sweet in moments. It was also just so easy for me to be won over by a film about end-of-day karaoke, bonding over indie cinema, and falling in love in a simple way but where characters are willing to improve for the glimmer of hope that love represents. Also, throughout the film, the camera just loves both Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen, and their winning and perfectly-tuned performances make you root for them so much so that whenever you spot a smile forming or some light in their eyes, you light up too.
I can understand that some people will struggle with the slow pace and the reservedness of the characters, but I think the character quirks work well with the overall style of this 90-minute film. This was just so sweet. A nice, warm Finnish blanket.
C’mon C’mon | Film | Directed by Mike Mills | Screenplay by Mike Mills | Release Year: 2021 | Recommended?: Yes.
“I’ll remind you of everything.”
That ending really got to me. I can understand why some people would find it to be a little bit slow, but, at the same time, I think Mike Mills does a good job of making so many of these characters and their relationships feel incredibly relatable, even if you don’t share their exact set of circumstances. I think the movie slowly, gradually, got under my skin, much like how Johnny (played wonderfully by Joaquin Phoenix) slowly starts to really become attached to his nephew and enjoy his quirky behavior. Then, as an uncle myself (who has a really great bond or close-knit connection with my godson), that ending about the kid being desperate to want to remember their happy times together — even though Johnny insists he probably won’t — well, it really got to me.
Growing up, you forget so many things about the relationships you build with members of your family and your friends. Nuances get lost, memories become hazy, and you end up only really remembering what people have told you once happened. You don’t remember the moments you want to remember, you end up remembering that (and what) other people told you about them. Johnny will forever remember how moved he was by their time and trips together, but his nephew will mostly forget. There’s something so sad about that, and, yet, there’s something so warm and loving about Johnny’s insistence that he’ll remind the kid. He’s insisting that he’ll be a part of his life no matter what. That he won’t let his nephew forget about him. He’ll always have him. That’s just so incredibly moving and well-communicated (and acted) in this beautiful film, in which Mills captures a great many things including, but not limited to, the power of familial connection and the love that we show by trying to keep core memories alive as our individual memories gradually fade.
The Salesman | Film | Directed by Asghar Farhadi | Screenplay by Asghar Farhadi | Release Year: 2016 | Recommended?: Yes.
This was excellent and every bit as good as I had heard.
Sure, maybe it is a tad too drawn out. I also would’ve liked the film to have given us more of an insight into Taraneh Alidoosti’s character and perspective. However, I guess it is by design given a variety of things, including the intention to frontload the male ‘protector’ need for vengeance that can be blinding (and is here).
I could’ve done without the scenes at the school, though you probably need them to have the pivotal scene where we get Emad’s comment to his student about how he understands why that one woman didn’t want to sit too close to him in the taxi cab.
So much of it feels carefully designed, and expertly written, and it is supremely well-directed as well. I thought Shahab Hosseini was phenomenal in the film, as he captured all of the complexity and frustrations that you’d expect from him. The last hour, when his character decides to do something about the situation, is captivatingly complex and stellar suspense filmmaking. It definitely deserves all of the awards that it got.
The Dead Don’t Hurt | Film | Directed by Viggo Mortensen | Screenplay by Viggo Mortensen | Release Year: 2024 | Recommended?: Yes.
I really enjoyed this. It’s a solid romantic western with a strong Viggo Mortensen performance for which he takes on a noticeable Danish accent (and even speaks Danish from time to time). On top of this, it also has a super powerful Vicky Krieps performance that is full of fire, passion, love, and being true to who she is regardless of who she pisses off. Hers is a great character.
Mortensen really does a good job of crafting the Western vibes. It’s got great atmosphere, cinematography, and production design. I will say that the structure is its main problem as its zigzag non-linear narrative feels unnecessary (and robs the film of some momentum) and the pacing is challenging as a direct result of this. That said, it is one of the best romantic westerns I’ve seen in a long time.
– Reviews Written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 
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