Review of The Man Without a Past (2002) by Brent G — 21 Nov 2009

THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST is a modern classic, a film that is strikingly original, darkly humorous, and beautifully expressed.

I have not seen NOWHERE IN AFRICA, the German movie that won Best Foreign Film in the 75th Academy Awards, but I have an extremely difficult time believing that it could outstrip this movie. Although I've not seen the film, in this case the Tomatometer serves a rough guide, to give you some idea. THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST= 98%; NOWHERE IN AFRICA=86%. No sense in crying over spilt milk, though, because worthy films have been passed up since the academy began the ceremonies. It's become something to be expected, almost a running joke (deadly serious for those gipped, though).

Unfortunately, it seems the decision had a far more political bent than one would hope. Kaurismaki, the director, refused to go to the gala in protest of the George Bush regime (er, presidency? I may be getting thumbs down for this one =P). He added (quoting wikipedia here) that he didn't particularly feel like partying in a nation that is currently in a state of war.

The silver lining to all this , though, is that the film was selected by Cannes (faaar more prestigious) as the winner of the Grand Prix Award. Academy, you can kiss me right here...

I digress. Films should be judged by their merits, not their pedigree, so let us examine THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST, the film.

THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST is Aki Kaurismaki's darkly comic film about a man (Markku Peltola) whose amnesia from a violent altercation leaves him with no knowledge of who he was in his past life. He knows of very little for sure, only that he was headed to Helsinki on a train (to seek employment, we discover later). His childhood, marital life--everything-- has been swallowed whole as a result of his head injury. A born again man, he quietly embraces the life of a vagrant. A simple, sweet romance develops between him and a Salvation Army woman. But like most narrative films, there's a conflict--his past returning to haunt him. Will he regain the happiness of the simple life he once lived?

It's a quietly funny, longish film (despite a running length of only about 100 minutes), that left me with that richness of feeling like only the best movies do. A new favorite of mine, and my choice for best film of the '00s, THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST is a genuinely heartwarming tale that will resonate with you long after you watch it.