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IMDbPro

L'homme sans passé

Original title: Mies vailla menneisyyttä
  • 2002
  • PG-13
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
28K
YOUR RATING
Kati Outinen and Markku Peltola in L'homme sans passé (2002)
The Man Without A Past Scene: A Date
Play clip2:50
Watch The Man Without A Past Scene: A Date
5 Videos
29 Photos
Dark ComedyComedyDramaRomance

M arrives in Helsinki only to be viciously attacked by thugs and pronounced dead by medics. He revives but with no memory of his past or his identity. He rebuilds his life from scratch, but ... Read allM arrives in Helsinki only to be viciously attacked by thugs and pronounced dead by medics. He revives but with no memory of his past or his identity. He rebuilds his life from scratch, but the past inevitably catches up with him.M arrives in Helsinki only to be viciously attacked by thugs and pronounced dead by medics. He revives but with no memory of his past or his identity. He rebuilds his life from scratch, but the past inevitably catches up with him.

  • Director
    • Aki Kaurismäki
  • Writer
    • Aki Kaurismäki
  • Stars
    • Markku Peltola
    • Kati Outinen
    • Annikki Tähti
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    28K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Aki Kaurismäki
    • Writer
      • Aki Kaurismäki
    • Stars
      • Markku Peltola
      • Kati Outinen
      • Annikki Tähti
    • 129User reviews
    • 89Critic reviews
    • 84Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 21 wins & 27 nominations total

    Videos5

    The Man Without A Past Scene: A Date
    Clip 2:50
    The Man Without A Past Scene: A Date
    The Man Without A Past Scene: Going Out For Dinner
    Clip 2:34
    The Man Without A Past Scene: Going Out For Dinner
    The Man Without A Past Scene: Going Out For Dinner
    Clip 2:34
    The Man Without A Past Scene: Going Out For Dinner
    The Man Without A Past Scene: A Song About The Human Heart
    Clip 2:11
    The Man Without A Past Scene: A Song About The Human Heart
    The Man Without A Past Scene: New Repetoire
    Clip 2:08
    The Man Without A Past Scene: New Repetoire
    The Man Without A Past Scene: Hannibal
    Clip 1:52
    The Man Without A Past Scene: Hannibal

    Photos29

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    + 23
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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Markku Peltola
    Markku Peltola
    • M
    Kati Outinen
    Kati Outinen
    • Irma
    Annikki Tähti
    • Manager of Flea Market
    Juhani Niemelä
    • Nieminen
    Kaija Pakarinen
    Kaija Pakarinen
    • Kaisa Nieminen
    Sakari Kuosmanen
    Sakari Kuosmanen
    • Anttila
    Anneli Sauli
    Anneli Sauli
    • Bar Owner
    Elina Salo
    Elina Salo
    • Dock Clerk
    Outi Mäenpää
    Outi Mäenpää
    • Bank Clerk
    Esko Nikkari
    Esko Nikkari
    • Bank Robber
    Pertti Sveholm
    • Police Detective
    Matti Wuori
    • Lawyer
    Aino Seppo
    • Ex-wife
    Janne Hyytiäinen
    Janne Hyytiäinen
    • Ovaskainen
    Antti Reini
    Antti Reini
    • Electrician
    Tähti
    • Hannibal
    • (as Tähti-Koira)
    Marko Haavisto
    • Salvation Army Band Member
    Jukka Teerisaari
    • Salvation Army Band Member
    • Director
      • Aki Kaurismäki
    • Writer
      • Aki Kaurismäki
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews129

    7.627.9K
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    Featured reviews

    7rosscinema

    Simple virtues!

    This is the first Aki Kaurismaki film that I have seen and it is the second film in a trilogy. I definitely want to see the first one now and I plan on seeing the third whenever it comes to my neck of the woods. Film is a very simple story of a man (Markku Peltola) who while waiting for a train goes to a park and falls asleep on a park bench. Three thugs come along and beat and rob him. He is so beaten that when he wakes up in a hospital he has amnesia. We never do find out his name! He leaves the hospital and has no where to go. A very poor family living in a metal container take him in and try to help him. He goes to the Salvation Army for free food and an opportunity to work small jobs and its there that he meets Irma (Kati Outinen) and is attracted to her. The film follows this man as he romances Irma and works odd jobs. Its all presented in a very dry and droll comedic fashion. All the characters are very emotionless no matter what the circumstances are and in some ways its reminiscent of the films that Jacques Tati use to make. In one scene in a bank a robber enters and shoots a broken security camera and the teller and our protagonist all act very calm and very polite. At the heart of this film is even though the characters are very quiet they are very helpful of one another and seem to care for each other. I have heard that all of Kaurismaki films are like this and its been nicknamed "Aki's world". Kaurismaki is a very unique filmmaker and the way he presents his characters is in contrast to the bleak area that they live in. Even though the film and the characters are laid back in their attitude, the romance between the man and Irma shouts of passion. Their affection and fondness for one another doesn't need words. It rings loud and clear!
    10a2859289

    A weird, but astonishing and silently funny film

    Whoever has seen any of Aki Kaurismäki's films might agree that they are all but mainstream. Nevertheless, the story itself doesn't have to be too complicated. In this case, a man completely loses his past in a shockingly violent way, and he rediscovers life again in an environment of bums who sleep in containers. The good thing I found about this movie was: No romanticism of misery, no enlightenment of the tortured hero, no sob-stuff love story, no superfluous, aloof intellectualism at all. At least not in an obtrusive or overly serious way. But in a way that it sometimes shocked me , sometimes made me laugh, sometimes grin. I was never bored. And as I made it to Finland for the first time in my life a few weeks after seeing this movie - I found everything to be amazingly authentic.

    A remarkable film that definitely moves into my shrine of the best 50!
    tedg

    No Past, Pure in the Motion

    Herzog introduced me to the tension created by moving back and forth from highly styled scenes to realistic ones in syncopated steps. It has an extraordinary effect; I do not know who first devised this technique, but it matters.

    Sometimes, you will see it adding value on the real side. Rarely is it ever used this way, to multiply anchor a minimalist sketch of fate. Jarmusch does this, perhaps being the master, but this is pretty clean, novel and effective as well. Its because Fins are inherently minimalist in a particularly overt way. Stylized in a stylized way, perhaps to stand above its neighbors who value cleanliness but only after passing through terminal sophistication.

    There is a sweet purity to this man we see, and the man we do not who made the thing. There is an honor in just getting up in the morning. The people here are either honest and generous — even the local cop who exploits the poor — or crippled participants in the machine. Everyone with a conventional job is in this latter class.

    Just as with most Jarmusch, music and the enrichment it brings, is woven into the story as an intrinsic element. The music itself is highly stylized, and like the film is an abstraction of deep, rich emotion. It is played here by a Slavation Army band our hero brings to musical salvation. The love story matters I think, because it depends on nothing other than simple need and directness.

    Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
    9ccthemovieman-1

    Unique & Fun, Start-To-Finnish

    I've watched this twice now, and throughly enjoyed both viewings, finding this film to really be a unique one. It's a Finnish film, which is unusual to start with, at least here in the U.S. because we don't see too many films from Finland. It's a black comedy, meaning deadpan looks with subtle comedic lines. In English, it's titled "The Man Without A Past."

    The main actor, Markuu Peltola, is perfect for this movie with one of the most deadpan faces you'll ever see. He is amazing to watch and Kati Outinen, as his love interest, is similarly strange and fascinating. Part of their charm are their unusual looks. This is not a romance between people who look like your normal handsome film stars.

    Simply, this is just something very different from anything you've seen, a combination of drama, comedy and romance with some of the strangest dialog I've ever heard on film. If you appreciate dry humor and a bizarre but touching story, you should see this.
    9artzau

    Utterly delightful

    This film is about as fast paced as Finnish films get, I guess. Don't look for a lot of facial expressions and a lot of overt body language because you ain't gonna get it. The film moves slowly like a Saami joiking in the sauna but it wonderful to behold with each deliberate step it takes. The characters may seem a little stiff to those of us unfamiliar with the inscrutable Finns but the great Finnish reserve which overlays the story line is tweaking at our whiskers at every shuffle forward in the story. It is really amazing that we have not seen other Finnish works before. This kind of off-the-wall story which has a wonderful basis of humanity underneath the more real than life characters clustered around a site with little or no conveniences of modern living in their sea container households. The odyssey of M who wanders through his voyage in search of himself only to be reconciled not with his long suffering and long awaiting Penelope but with a frustrated but good-hearted Major Barbara.

    There are lots of puns visual and otherwise with the threads of incompetent cops, doctors, nurses, employment office workers interwoven with a comical wannabe bad-guy overseer, a rock'n roll Salvation Army band, a torch-songstress SA Major and the philosophical hero who honestly can't remember.

    Check this one out without fail. It's pure fun...but just don't expect it run along at breakneck speed ala Hollywood...!

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the bar scene there is a portrait photo of Matti Pellonpää on the wall. He played in numerous Kaurismäki films before his sudden death in 1995.
    • Goofs
      The Helsinki railway station's extension roof is clearly visible at the opening scene, but it hadn't been built yet in 1996 (the year can be read from the newspaper).
    • Quotes

      M: I went to the moon yesterday.

      Irma: I see. How was it?

      M: Peaceful.

      Irma: Meet anyone?

      M: Not really; it was a Sunday.

    • Connections
      Featured in Matka suomalaiseen elokuvaan: Naurua pimeässä (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Do The Shake
      Performed by The Renegades

      Music & Lyrics by Brown / Gibson / Johnson / Mallett

      Published by Warner / Chappell Music Finland

      (P) 1964 Scandia / Warner Music Finland

      Licensed courtesy of Warner Music Finland

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    FAQ18

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 6, 2002 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • Finland
      • Germany
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Official website (United States)
      • Pandora Film (Germany)
    • Language
      • Finnish
    • Also known as
      • The Man Without a Past
    • Filming locations
      • Helsinki, Finland
    • Production companies
      • Sputnik
      • Yleisradio (YLE)
      • Pandora Filmproduktion
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • FIM 8,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $921,847
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $23,281
      • Apr 6, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $9,564,237
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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