by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic —What a title, right? That is the kind of title that will really get you thinking about what the heck this film is about. Well, there is obviously a blind man involved. That adds layers to the title since he will not be seeing Titanic in the traditional sense, even if he wanted to. But what does he have against James Cameron’s Oscar darling film? There can be plenty of reasons (not going to lie; it took me a long time to even want to give it a try).
But what is this mysterious film about then? Jaakko (Petri Poikolainen) is the lead in our genre mixing romance from Finland. He is a blind man who is also wheelchair bound. He has a budding romance with Sirpa (Marjaana Maijala). They have a love of film (she calls him Groundhog Day, endearingly) and of course, there is where the reference to Titanic comes from…he is not a fan. But when something bad happens to Sirpa, Jaakko finally finds the confidence to seek her out. A journey on a train becomes a lot more tense and dangerous than you could (or Jaakko could) ever imagine. This romance turns into a thriller, and director Teemu Nikki certainly cranks up the tension.
But what is Nikki able to do to ratchet up that tension along the way? The film is shot from Jaakko’s perspective. Close-ups of his face (which is in focus) with the rest of the world around him out of focus helps create a unique cinematic experience. The endearing and genuine romance through the fun was great, but these filmmaking choices elevates all of it. The tension and suspense only grow as he ventures out on the train. The climax of the film finds Jaakko face-to-face with not-so-great men, but there is a constant sense of danger thanks to the expert direction.
But what really sells this film? The naturalistic dialogue and raw performances make this a truly affecting and moving journey. Poikolanien gives a powerful performance that is full of charm and emotion. There is a vulnerability to how close that camera is to Poikolainen when he is acting, but he never lets that throw off his micro decisions and facial performance. Maijala has to do so much through what is mostly a vocal performance over the phone. They are so genuine together, which makes the stakes so much higher. The climax finds Jaakko in quite the shaken situation, and nothing will stop his will to get to his Sirpa.
What a unique film, isn’t it? The Blind Man is a moving and powerful film that will take you in unexpected ways. The tension is almost unbearable, and that is equally as impactful as the romance that is portrayed. There are not many films that can boast both those things. Oh wait… there is more! The technical prowess that went into this specific type of visual storytelling is bold and more effective than you could imagine. Do yourself a favor… seek this gem out.
Score: 9/10
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