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I paid to see a finnish movie. Something I'd never thought I'd do. I went to have an extreme experience. I never did. Instead of that I got drama, that really does stand up to better standards, comedy to which a fenno-ugrian guy like me can really relate to and horror of realization how someone can go from being the king of the hill to a public joke... The day before I had seen Munich - though rather good it's sterile compared to Matti. Maybe just because it replaces emotions with idealism. I'd recommend it to anyone who even a bit understands the finns... The last time I talked so much about a movie with mu buddies was when I first saw Raiders of the Lost Ark at the age of twelwe...

Matti tells partly a fictional story of the Finnish skijumping legend Matti Nykänen who is nowadays only the topic of scandal newspapers. The movie makes you laugh but also feel sorry for Matti who is only a tool for other people who use him to gain money and success. People get Matti into all kinds of trouble because he is so gullible. This might not be the real truth but that's how the movie portrays Matti's life. I have never liked Matti Nykänen because the news of him having a drunken fight is boring and he is stupid and narrow minded as a person but the movie actually makes you feel some sympathy towards him. Jasper Pääkkönen does a fine job as Matti but nothing worthy of huge praise. Other actors do a better job but their roles are easier. I find myself enjoying the new wave of Finnish cinema and Matti is certainly better than the Finnish movies where sex and nude women are the only method to get viewers.

For those of you who are not familiar with the titular "hero", Matti Nykänen, he is this Finnish Olympic gold-medalist, who was a folk hero back in the 80's, 'cause he brought ski-jumping medals by the boat loads. Here's where it gets tricky. Today he's nothing. He's a bottom feeder, who does anything to stay in the headlines. And even that seems like an understatement. How's that, one might ask. Well, since his professional career ended, he has started a ridiculous singing career (he can sell a few albums, but people buy them and show up to his gigs purely out of humor), he's been a stripper (!), he's been to prison, he has found God and he has married a woman he beats up every once in a while. What's not to like? Plus, he's clearly a retard.

Matti, the movie about him, tries to sell his story to the viewer as he would be the victim in all of this. Which is of course total BS. A lot of the stupid things he's done and God forbid *is still doing*, have come from people daring him. For heaven's sake, HOW HARD IS IT TO JUST SAY "NO"?! And stupid things like jumping off a bridge, or something. Plus when you rarely see him doing an interview his eyes are wondering everywhere and he makes statements like you wouldn't believe.. he's like The Waterboy, but with half the IQ.

This is a naive film with some good performances, but even those can't hide the fact that this film's been made with the intention of ripping the ticket fare from the Finnish audience, who are there just to see the joke that this man is. Not the sensitive side, because with he's real actions this far gone, no-one's buying that he even has one.

** / *****

I don't know if you need to be Finnish to understand this, but does the word 'myötähäpeä' translate to English? It is the feeling of being ashamed on someone else's behalf.

I know enough people like this in Finland, who think all the booze that appears within reach MUST be drunk, and also people who can be lead by their nose by their friends like they had no brains (while they do have, even if it at times seems defective).

It also has various scenes of drinking by fireside by a lake, hitchhiking, crummy local halls where bands perform, horrible clothes and suburbia that I (too) vividly remember from my own past... I feel like chewing my arm off but I cannot stop watching.

Compelling stuff indeed.

when i first went to see this movie i was waiting for it to stink big time.i was surprised when i noticed that the movie was actually heartbreaking and funny at the same time.Jasper Pääkkönen did an excellent job playing Matti nykänen.what annoys me is that the only reason they did this movie is because of money.they were obviously hoping that it will be the same kind of success like pahat pojat.Selin has only done one movie that i liked and that was paha maa.is it just me or do they use jasper a lot in their films?the movie isn't very deep ,it just shows us the side of Matti , that we have learned from the pages of "seiska" and "katso".i would have liked to see more skijumping but still everyone has to admit that this movie could have been so much worse.i sort of think that it is a story about being finnish:we are strong ,we eat sausages,we drink beer and sometimes we make mistakes.in the end i have to congratulate selin about the fact that i finally feel somekind of sympathy towards Matti , even if the movie is only fiction.you realise that people have manipulated Matti his whole life.my final conclusion is that this has to be the most tragic story that finland has ever seen.