Tom of Finland

Tom of Finland is definitely one of the most anticipated Finnish movies in 2017, and with reason. Many of us already know the homoerotic art made by Tom of Finland - art which has made its way to textile and even post stamps. This film directed by Dome Karukoski introduces us to the man behind the stage name - Touko Laaksonen.

The story is both touching and really empowering. It has heart wrenching drama, but it's also a message of hope, which is something we need right now, considering how scary the world feels right now. But it was certain from the beginning that this movie will make people feel all kind of things. People will be furious about it, mostly because people already feel that way about the art. Some people are not into anything that's so blatantly homoerotic. But as Dome Karukoski said today, it's a loud minority that's against this movie and everything it stands for, not a majority.

One of the most important things about the film is how Touko Laaksonen wasn't flattened, which worse director and writer(s) could've easily done. Of course this is affected by the fact that the events of the film take place during several decades, so there's no reason for Laaksonen be the same all through the movie. But I'm mainly talking about Laaksonen was introduced to us as a both sensitive typical artist and as a gay icon. If they would've tried to leave out the homoerotic art, it would've erased a big part of Laaksonen's identity. On the other hand if they had only focused on the gay icon side of him, the character could've easily become flat. And isn't it quite impossible to even take these two parts of Laaksonen completely apart from each other, since they aren't really that separate?

It's also amazing to witness how Laaksonen is affected by where he is and who he is with. In the middle of mostly straight people he has to hide parts of himself, and his Tom of Finland side isn't as visible. But in California, among the gay community, he can openly be who he is. I'm sure many closeted non-straight people can identify with this.

We all know our modern world isn't completely equal yet. Still it's horrible to see how much worse the hatred towards gay people was when Touko Laaksonen was younger. But comparing that to now, it gives us a little sparkle of hope, that maybe we are going in the right direction. And Tom of Finland movie is coming out (by coincidence, as Karkukoski stated) at the perfect time, and I'm not just talking about the Finland's 100th year as an independent country, but these few weeks. As of first of March, same sex marriage is legal in Finland. So this movie clearly couldn't have come at a better time.

Tom of Finland is a wonderful, touching movie about an artist who is so very important to the gay community. It's a touching biography, and everyone who can should watch it

It's not bad, it's just not memorable. By trying to insert many years of Tom's life, the writer lost the chance to insert some gravitas into it all. It seemed like the focus was going to be Tom's relationship with his sister but then it kinda fizzled out... was it going to be about his love life? Nop, a sudden off-screen ending to that, its publishing process... just a bit here and there, easily and fastly solved. Hence, the lack of memorability.

Film about Touko Laaksonen a gay Finnish man who fought in World War 2. He returns home with serious PTSS. He finds the only way to battle it is drawing men in leather and in various sexual positions. He also meets and falls in love with adorable Vali (Lauri Tilkanen). However homosexuality was against the law in Finland back then. The film chronicles how Touko invented the Tom of Finland name and got his work published.

Well-done film with good direction and it moves quickly. However there are two serious liabilities here. One is Laakksonen. He's terrible in the title role. He never EVER reacts to anything. He always has a blank look on his face so I didn't know how to take his lines. By contrast Tilkanen is great as his lover. I kept wishing the movie was about him! The second liability is the script. It goes swinging all over the place. We're given no clue of what era it is and what's going on. Very frustrating. Other that I liked it but those are two huge problems.

The hit of The 2017 Mardi Gras Film Festival and I can see why..

I couldn't help thinking watching this movie a few days before we find out if Australia has .voted YES hopefully or No ,heaven forbid to marriage Equality how far our GLBTIQ historic journey has travelled and we still have a long way to travel.

This film is more than a biography of the creator of Tom of Finland , its a document that shows the vilification persecution and intolerance that we experienced in the journey to liberation and the shut closet furtive underworld that younger GLBTQI, thankfully don't experience today.

If Tom of Finland was introduced as a cultural icon today for gay male sexuality he probably wouldn't have had the impact that he did in today's world of internet and technology but he deserves his place in our history and I'm glad he's being celebrated in this entertaining movie.

I enjoyed the film which spans the war years to the terrible AIDS holocaust years ,where a generation was lost forever. Well directed great script and wonderful performances by all the cast ,Tom 's not a film for everyone but up till today I had only a little knowledge of Tom of Finland . Of course I knew the raunchy sketches and their iconic significance to Gay culture but no idea about the creator Toulouse Laaksonen or the background to the creation of Tom.

So grateful to Adam and Kirsten and Mt Vic Flix , if it wasn't for them we would miss out on the very best of today's cinema.

This film played out far better than I imagined it would. As a production it has a very solid and creative feel to it and over all I can't fault it. Of course it's based on a true story and for me who knew of Tom's work, I never knew the dramatic background behind it. To cram so much story into 2 hours obviously meant sacrifices but I think the writers did well there. The film gets over to the audience the sense of gay oppression in Finland around that period and the dangers that practicing gays had to live with. That all sets the scene in the first half of the film which is dramatic but downbeat. In the second half of the film which is mostly based in America it all opens out and in contrast to the first half has a real feel good about it. My score: 8 out of 10 Highly recommended