Juha
1999
****½
Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Cast: Sakari Kuosmanen, Kati Outinen, Markku Peltola, André Wilms, Elina Salo, Ona Kamu,
Outi Mäenpää, Tuire Tuomisto, Esko Nikkari
Juha and Marja are a happily married couple who work their farm. One day, a suave city slicker ends up at their house and seduces Marja with a promise of a better life. Aki Kaurismäki's adaptation of Juhani Aho's 1911 novel tells a tragic and surprisingly moving tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. Kaurismäki tells this story as a black and white silent film, a bold and creative choice not repeated until Michel Hazanavicius made The Artist (2011), Anssi Tikanmäki's omnipresent score is a bit of a mixed bag.
