The Christmas Family

At first the Webbers laugh at their neighbors when they leave L.A. for the mountains of Oregon in search of a wholesome environment. But when they recognize the same symptoms in their family that made the neighbors leave, they follow them. However their new domicile is a bit more apart from civilization than expected. Even then it's not a paradise: their neighbors are weird, the nearest store is miles away, and their house lacks even the most basic comfort. How long before they're packin' it in again?

Based on the novel of the same name by Finnish author Antti Tuuri, this delicious late-'80s comedy builds its dark humour on the stereotypical mentality of the northern part of Finland. While perhaps not as entertaining to a person unfamiliar with Finnish traditions, the brilliant acting and directing, plus the warm, beautiful Finnish summer more than make up for the cultural gap. The story begins with a group of brothers and their families coming to honour the memory of their recently-deceased father. Spending time together, opening old wounds and creating new ones--it all boils down to brotherhood. No matter what happens, brothers take care of their own. Considering that the events of the movie all take place within a 24-hour period, nothing feels rushed. The film rolls on naturally. The best part about this film is the cast that they managed to put together for the movie. Esko Salminen, Taneli Mäkelä, Vesa Vierikko, and Esko Nikkari are all well-known, extremely-talented Finnish actors, but this movie contains among the best performances of their careers. Especially Mäkelä and Nikkari are brilliant; Mäkelä's quiet and contemplative character has depth that you can just feel--and Nikkari's convincing portrayal of a town drunk. Funny, dramatic, entertaining and definitely a movie that makes you FEEL.

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