First time I saw Man without a past, I was in different world for 24 hours. I could hardly work, eat, drink, I was just in aww of the message the movie had. Andy wonder I immediately became a Aki Karusimäki fan?

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True Love travels on a gravel road -- Beautiful! Jun 29 2004

By Michael Mathena

Format:DVD

In the impoverished slum area on the outskirts of a bigger city in Finland, a middle-aged working man is brutally attacked, robbed and left for dead by a pair of ruthless thugs. Taken to a hospital, the man is pronounced dead, but miraculously emerges from his trauma and literally walks away.

Suffering from amnesia, the man meets many well-meaning people who help him back on his feet. A scene where a waitress offers the penniless man a plate of food, saying "better you eat it than we throw it away", is reminiscent of the days of the Great Depression, where many able-bodied men would starve for lack of work.

The film spins beautifully to an unexpected, thus even more satisfying conclusion. A contender at many International Film Festivals, "The Man Without A Past" is testimony to the triumph of the human spirit. A rare gem among recent World Cinema. Highly recommended!*****

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Quiet, Quirky and a Little Sly Jun 27 2004

By C. O. DeRiemer

Format:DVD

This Finnish film may not be for everyone. Though nominated in 2002 for an Oscar for best foreign film, I don't think it got much play here. It's a quiet movie about a guy who is beaten in a park in Helsinki right after getting off a train. The hospital thinks he's dead, but he staggers out, gradually recovers, and can't remember a thing. He meets a number of people, most of whom help him in some way or another. He meets a Salvation Army woman and a relationship developes.

It's hard to describe this movie. The dialoque is often funny, but delivered absolutely deadpan. There is no excitement, but a rich development of story and relationships through incidents that happen to the lead character or that he causes to happen. The two leads, Markku Peltoa and Kati Outinen, are adults and look it. There's no Hollywood handsomeness about either of them. The structure of the movie is a gem of economy. One scene ends and the film moves briskly on to the next scene. No extended, unnecessary character development. No superfluous dialoque. It may sound pompous, but this movie creates at the end a nice feeling of mature contentment.

The DVD of the film is crisp and strong; an excellent transfer. There are no significant extras.

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