Romantic comedies have become a dime a dozen, which means it’s become increasingly difficult to find one that’s more than, an international selection from Finland that screened Sept. 26 at the New York Film Festival, is primed to invigorate a genre grown stale—and do it in the most deliciously glacial, unassuming way possible., whose sharp, deadpan writing, and distinctly sparse visual storytelling have made him a beloved figure in international cinema.
This is less of a meet-cute than it is a shrug; Kaurismäki isn’t a fan of writing sparks into his screenplays. Rather, he lets his actors generate the necessary amount of fire that their characters need to make their romance convincing. In the case of Pöysti and Vatanen, there’s just enough kindling to make their connection energizing—somethingneeds after its frigid first 15 minutes.