By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Original language title: Laitakaupungin valot
Country: finland, france, germany
Year: 2007
Running time: 78
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458242/reference
Bruce says: “LIGHTS IN THE DUSK is the third film in a trilogy Kaurismäki calls ‘films about losers.’ Unlike its immediate predecessor, THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST, this film is difficult to grasp. That is largely due to the blandness of its central character, Koistinen (Janne Hyytiäinen), a nightwatchman about whom we know and learn nothing other than he has pipe dreams of one day of starting his own company. He is well dressed, well kempt but has no friends, no girlfriends. His co-workers ridicule and despise him for no discernable reason. Aila (Maria Heiskanan), a dowdy hot dog vendor, is madly in love with Koistinen but he is oblivious. When he meets Mirja (Maria Järvenhelmi), the glamorous moll of a local gangster he thinks
his luck might be changing…and that it does, for the worse. Koistinen has been hand-picked to be a fall guy for the mob. The mob leader is requisitely insidious and violent. Mirja is able to seduce Koistinen quite easily. When Koistinen is ultimately framed, he responds with little emotion.
“Kaurismäki always knows exactly how much detail to include in every shot making even the most mundane scenes enthralling. LIGNTS IN THE DUSK gives us views of a stark Helsinki, totally compatible with this bleak story. Even when he is not at the top of his game, Kaurismäki’s films engage the viewer with promise and underlying excitement. LIGHTS IN THE DUSK is a middling work from a far-from-middling filmmaker. 3.5 cats”