Fallen Leaves Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Fallen Leaves Blu-ray Movie Review

"That certainly is a slight problem."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown May 17, 2024

There comes a moment in Finnish film Fallen Leaves where its hopeless and hopelessly romantic duo, Ansa and Holappa, go to a showing of eclectic filmmaker Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, and it might just be the single moment that will best set your expectations for everything that follows. Jarmusch is a weird dude who makes weird comedies, and there isn't an ounce of insult to that simple tag. He'd nod and smile a big ol' smile at that, and probably add a few more descriptors that sound far more critical to the uninitiated. Filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki is a kindred soul, and his Fallen Leaves is as disarming and unconventional a romantic comedy as you might anticipate from a man so eager to give a Jarmusch joint such prime real estate in his own film.

In modern-day Helsinki, two lonely souls in search of love, supermarket shelf stocker Ansa Grönholm (Alma Pöysti, Four Little Adults) and alcoholic sandblaster Holappa (Jussi Vatanen, The Unknown Soldier), meet by chance in a local karaoke bar thanks to Holappa's friend and roommate, Huotari (Janne Hyytiäinen). However, the pair's path to happiness, which includes an oddly romantic viewing of The Dead Don't Die, is beset by misunderstandings and numerous obstacles, from lost phone numbers to mistaken addresses, addiction, hospital trips and a charming stray dog named Chaplin. Written and directed by Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki (Le Havre, The Other Side of Hope, The Man Without a Past), the film also stars Nuppu Koivu, Sherwan Haji, Matti Onnismaa, Maria Heiskanen, Simon Al-Bazoon, Martti Suosalo, Maustetytöt, Sakari Kuosmanen, Alina Tomnikov, and Alma the dog.

Holappa: Remember the night you sang karaoke?
Huotari: And sang well?
Holappa: And sang well.
Huotari: I'm still waiting for the record company and tour manager to call.
Holappa: Maybe they weren't around.
Huotari: Such a performance should have the word spreading.
Holappa: There were two women...
Huotari: Dames, gals, skirts, sheilas. I wasn't good enough. Too old, I was told.
Holappa: I met the smaller one later. We almost got married.
Huotari: Why didn't you? Pretty girl. Though a quiet one.
Holappa: I lost her phone number.
Huotari: Why don't you ask the directory?
Holappa: I don't know her name.
Huotari: That certainly is a slight problem.

Australian film critic Jake Wilson writes, "by design, Fallen Leaves isn’t so much a romance as a series of gestures towards the idea of one. You can’t tell this kind of story anymore, is the implication, but wouldn’t it be nice if you could?" I'd be hard pressed to describe the film more succinctly than that. Wholly amusing yet intentionally unfunny in its oddball charms, Kaurismäki's critically praised rom-com plays by genre rules and all at once subverts each one. If fate has a sense of humor, it's out in full force in the would-be/wouldn't-dare relationship of Ansa and Holappa, who are so hopelessly held at arm's length by the universe that one begins to wonder why they keep trying to connect. It's in this push against destiny, though, that Fallen Leaves finds its heart, offering a glimpse at love-at-all-costs, or perhaps just the desperation of two lonely people, vying against it all to try and forge a union that anything and everything transpires to undermine.

Pöysti and Vatanen are a delight, delivering the sort of infectious chemistry that evokes the lovable pairings of yesteryear, from Bogart and Bacall to Gosling and Stone, classic and modern screen couples alike, and is sure to leave even the staunchest viewer grinning. Whether those grins will pay off in the end is another matter. While Fallen Leaves won critics to the tune of a near-perfect 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, its audience score is sitting much lower at 59%. It's a fair bet your mileage with Kaurismäki comedic stylings will vary from the next film fan's. But happy endings aren't at the root of a winning genre outing, they're the antithesis of what makes romantic comedies soar. The best rom-coms aren't concerned with happy endings but rather with finding truth in the moment, joy within the pain, laughs within the heartache, and real people within the caricatures we spend two hours convincing ourselves exist somewhere out there in the world. (Or better yet, relate to on a personal level.) Fallen Leaves is less concerned with nailing jokes and crafting gags and more interested in the silliness within everyday life and the comedy of errors that pepper our greatest love stories. To that end, it works and works wonders, serving up two star-crossed lovers who can't quite seem to catch a break.

Fallen Leaves Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As unassuming and humble as Timo Salminen's cinematography tends to be, you wouldn't be criticized for overlooking the quality of MUBI's 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation. But therein lies the subversion. While romantic comedies are often flashy, overly colorful affairs, Fallen Leaves offers a far more dour, minimalistic and quirky image. Colors are certainly strong -- punchy even, especially its primaries -- and contrast is nicely balanced, with deep black levels that still allow for solid delineation. But there's a simplicity to the composition and palette that intentionally belies traditional fare, and is all the better and more subtly striking for it. Detail is excellent too, with cleanly defined edges and numerous fine textures that give the picture a more refined appearance than expected. Add to that a complete lack of artifacting, banding and the like and you have an encode that's as attractive as it is proficient.

Fallen Leaves Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

MUBI's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, as well as the film's original sound design, is just as unassuming and literal as the video presentation, delivering a level of stark realism that's often as amusing as it is convincing. Dialogue is clear and intelligible at all times, even when Ansa and Holappa whisper or stumble over words, and prioritization is spot on. LFE output isn't exactly assertive but it gets the job done when called upon, delivering solid dynamics. Rear speaker activity could be accused of being too slight as well, yet it perfectly captures the emptiness of a vacant apartment, the distant clamor of a city at night, the nuanced spatial echoes of a sparse movie theater, the awkwardness of a karaoke bar, and the stillness of an apartment as a silent couple sits on a couch unsure of what to say. Directionality is precise, channel pans are smooth, and the film's sound design sticks the landing.

Fallen Leaves Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Q&A with Alma Poysti & Jussi Vatanen (HD, 5 minutes) - A quick interview with the film's leads.

• The World According to Aki Kaurismaki (HD) - An on-disc digital version of the booklet included with this release.

Fallen Leaves Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Fallen Leaves is as atypical a romantic comedy as they come. But lying in wait within its quirkiness and oddball verve is a story brimming with heart, humor and the pain of loneliness, awkward connections and missed opportunities. Audiences haven't been as smitten with it as critics, but I'd suggest giving it a chance -- maybe two if it doesn't quite hit the first time -- and see what those who love something different in their genre pics are raving about. MUBI's Blu-ray release is quite good too, thanks to an excellent AV presentation. More supplemental material would have been a boon but so it goes. This one comes recommended.