This Finnish coming-of-age drama has been a hit with critics so far - but is it a hit with us?
Director: Alli Haapasalo
Starring: Aamu Milonoff, Eleonoora Kauhanen, Linnea Leino
Running time: 100 minutes
If there’s one genre that seems to change shape the older you get, it’s the adolescent coming-of-ager. I remember watching films like Superbad and Dazed and Confused in my younger days with a sense of eager anticipation at what shenanigans might lie ahead. Now, some years later, I look back with a sense of yearning, wishing for things to be that simple and frivolous; was I like that? Did these things really happen? However, it’s a sub-genre that has been dominated by Hollywood - and men in Hollywood, no less - which makes Alli Haapasalo’s Girl Picture such a breath of fresh air.
The Finnish drama centres around three girls trying to navigate the murky waters of womanhood, their lives intertwining as they experience first loves, deal with the weight of expectation and get lost amongst the birds and the bees. We have Aamu Milonoff as Mimmi, Eleonoora Kauhanen as Rönkkö and Linnea Leino as Emma; together the three actors have undeniable, irresistible chemistry, and we’re more than happy to accompany them on their tumultuous journey in a narrative structure built upon three consecutive Fridays.
The first time we meet Mimmi, mid-hockey match in the gym, she couldn't look more uninterested as she actively avoids the passes her teammates are directing her way. Understandably, one of them gets irked and confronts her about her lack of effort, and Mimmi, like a cornered animal, lashes out and shins her aggressor with a hockey stick. A walking ball of angst, she’s comes out with sayings like, ‘They want me to participate in their delusion,’ which should give you a rough idea of her disposition. With a pair of eyes that suck you win with their range of expression, Milonoff’s performance perfectly captures the confusion, the simmering trauma and the deep need for compassion.
This is a welcome addition to a genre that, unlike the generations of audience that enjoys it so much, refuses to grow old
On an ice rink Emma is a virtuoso - she might well become the European champion if she can pull of this one trick, the Lutz, but it proves to be a thorn in her side. Once the blades come off and she has to step outside of the rink, she lives to get back inside of that frosty comfort zone, away from a life of strict dietary plans, obsessively watching skating videos, and denying herself social interaction. Through Emma, Haapasalo is able to explore juxtaposing ideas of passion and enjoyment, and whether the violent push to be great is worth it at all. Emma goes through something of an awakening, spiritually and sexually, as she falls in love, has her heart shattered to bits, and rebels against the idea of her own personal image. However, there’s always the Lutz, looming ominously - can she nail it before the fast approaching championships?
Rönkkö is stuck somewhere in the middle of the other two, in a sexually ambivalent limbo. She just doesn’t like sex, she's unlucky in love and she doesn’t know quite why. With her awkward chat up lines and fetterless dialogue, Rönkkö provides Girl Picture with a healthy dose of comic relief. Yet her quest for sexual fulfilment and physical connection is often tinged with sadness, a sadness only exacerbated by the insensitivity of men.
Haapasalo, despite a few interesting narrative turns, by no means re-invents the wheel with Girl Picture, but she doesn’t have to when we’re able to see our own reflection in these beautifully fleshed-out characters. Not to mention it looks great with DP Jarmo Kiuru capturing the crispness of the Finnish winter, and presenting the genre’s classic iconography like the longing glances across the room of the party, or the awkward fumbles of a first kiss, with a warm pallet. It’s the manner in which the film sways joyously into these clichés that make it such a welcome addition to a genre that, unlike the generations of audience that enjoys it so much, refuses to grow old.
Did you know? This is the Finnish entry in 95th Academy Awards' Best International Feature Film competition.
Girl Picture is available in cinemas from Friday 30 September
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
