by Lisa Nystrom
Worth: $14.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Oona Airola, Hannu-pekka Björkman, Tommi Korpela, Pyry Kähkönen
Intro:
Touching on heavy themes layered within moments of absurd levity and heartfelt humanity…
Finnish filmmaker Miia Tervo offers up her interpretation of true events in this political drama sparking with moments of dark comedy and emotional turbulence. When a Soviet missile fell into Lake Inari in rural Finland in 1985, a chaotic descent of military presence and out-of-town journalists swiftly followed in its wake.
In Tervo’s story of The Missile, we follow single mother Niina Kuittinen (Oona Airola), who recently found herself in the position of staff writer for the small-town paper after a series of bizarre events led to her literally crashing through their office door. The mystery surrounding the missile’s origins, and the welcome distraction of a handsome fighter pilot named Kai Repola (Pyry Kähkönen), prove intriguing enough to draw Niina in, and to the consternation of almost everyone from over-bearing family members to high-ranking military officials, she becomes determined to unearth the secrets buried frozen beneath the ice.
Airola delivers a standout performance in the role of Niina, from her insecure and timid beginnings to her growing resolve as she discovers purpose outside of her existence as a mother, daughter, downtrodden ex-wife… Her presence onscreen transitions from subtle and understated, struggling to stay standing under the heavy weight of pressure placed on her by her family’s expectations, to bursting with a pent-up passion that has been supressed for far too long. The supporting cast also add a real depth of emotion to Niina’s story, particularly her sister Kaisa (Emma Kilpimaa), whose self-assuredness and strength provide a stark contrast to Niina’s own people-pleasing ways.
There are elements of a sweet, almost naïve romance between Niina and Kai, however this is not a love story, at least not in the traditional sense. The personal intersects with the political with rapidly rising stakes and far more on the line than anyone is willing to admit.
Touching on heavy themes layered within moments of absurd levity and heartfelt humanity, Tervo’s script expertly parallels Niina rediscovering her own personal boundaries while the Finnish nation comes to the realisation that they made need to consider fortifying their own.
