The Liar (& Jackpot 2)

Introduction

I've reviewed several films by Aki Kaurismäki without knowing that he had an elder brother, Mika, who is also a prolific director and The Liar (Valehtelija) is his student film.

Ville Alfa (Aki Kaurismäki) is the liar, a bundle of energy who works his way around Helsinki, trying to con money out of everyone he meets, saying he needs money for a suit to wear at his brother's funeral, or needs funds to finish his book.

Also included is Jackpot 2, a film Mika made the following year, a 32 minute Sci-fi short about two friends and their love of pinball.

Video

Shot in black and white and clearly influenced by French New Wave films, this looks very good for a student film that's over twenty years old.

Audio

The Dolby Digital Mono Finnish soundtrack is clear and unsurprisingly unspectacular. The subtitles (in English and the Scandinavian languages) are legible, but some of the punctuation is a little odd.

Extra Features

Jackpot 2 - I'm not sure whether this is classed as an extra feature or not.

There are two revealing interviews with Mika Kaurismäki, one about The Liar and the other about Jackpot 2.

There is an 8-page biography of the director, which has to be manually navigated.

Conclusion

It's unusual that the supporting feature should overshadow the main title, but that's the case here. The Liar is an accomplished and very watchable film, but I preferred Jackpot 2 with its odd premise about two guys obsessed with pinball in a post-apocalyptic Helsinki. As well as co-writing The Liar, Kaurismäki junior turns in an impressive performance in front of the camera, looking much thinner and younger than when I last saw him being interviewed but, even then, smoking like a chimney!

Fans of Mika Kaurismäki's work will no doubt be pleased to see his debut film on DVD, and the inclusion of Jackpot 2 and the interviews are a massive bonus. It's obviously for a niche audience (you probably know who you are!), whose investment will be rewarded.