Shadows in Paradise
1986 · Movie · NR · 74 min · ★ 7.3 · 83% critics
A shy rubbish collector’s plans for success unravel after a sudden setback, leaving him searching for a new start. In a Helsinki supermarket, he meets a down-on-her-luck cashier, and a tentative connection begins to grow as they try to figure out what this could be.
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Streaming on The Criterion Channel.
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Details
- Original title
- Varjoja paratiisissa
- Years
- 1986
- Release date
- 1986-10-17
- Language
- FI
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 74 min
- Critic score
- 83/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.3/10 (440 votes)
About
If you enjoy quiet, idiosyncratic romantic comedies like The Man Without a Past or Drifting Clouds, you may like this; Not for you if you want big feelings, frequent laughs, or more conventional storytelling.
Pros: charming leads; dry, deadpan humor; sweet bond-building | Cons: minimal dialogue; rocky pacing; romance may feel lifeless
Themes
- helsinki, finland
- salesclerk
- garbage
Cast & crew
Matti Pellonpää
as Nikander
Kati Outinen
as Ilona
Sakari Kuosmanen
as Melartin
Esko Nikkari
as Nikander's Co-Worker
Kylli Köngäs
as Ilona's Friend
Pekka Laiho
as Store Manager
Jukka-Pekka Palo
as Third Man
- SK
Svante Korkiakoski
as Police Officer
Mari Rantasila
as Nikander's Sister
- SP
Safka Pekkonen
as Pianist
Directed by Aki Kaurismäki