Ariel
1988 · Movie · NR · 73 min · ★ 7.1 · 82% critics
After the mine where he worked closes, a Finnish man heads to the city searching for steady work. As he drifts through unemployment, bad luck, and trouble, his life takes unexpected turns that also lead him toward a hopeful romance and the chance to start over.
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Streaming on The Criterion Channel.
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Details
- Years
- 1988
- Release date
- 1988-10-21
- Language
- FI
- Rated
- NR
- Runtime
- 73 min
- Critic score
- 82/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.1/10 (375 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy Ariel if you like deadpan, emotionally restrained stories with hope in tough circumstances, and crime-comedy energy; Not for you if you want big feelings, straightforward plotting, or nonstop entertainment—try The Man Without a Past or Drifting Clouds instead.
Pros: deadpan dark humor; tender love story; memorable bleak charm | Cons: minimal dialogue; bleak mood; inconsistent for some viewers
Themes
- prison
- underdog
- helsinki, finland
- factory worker
- prisoner
- falling in love
Cast & crew
Turo Pajala
as Taisto Kasurinen
- SH
Susanna Haavisto
as Irmeli Pihlaja
Matti Pellonpää
as Mikkonen
- EH
Eetu Hilkamo
as Riku
- EP
Erkki Pajala
as Miner
- MJ
Matti Jaaranen
as Mugger
- HV
Hannu Viholainen
as Accomplice
Jorma Markkula
as Tallyman
- TK
Tarja Keinänen
as Woman in Harbour
- EK
Eino Kuusela
as Man on Beach
Directed by Aki Kaurismäki