Thomas lives alone.He's 83 years old and his wife has died a number of years ago.Now his brother, Johannes dies.In his solitary life he plays chess by himself, thinking of his next move.He goes outside to sit on a bench in the park.There he meets another older man, an 80-year old judge who likes to smoke cigars.He reminds of his past he'd rather forget.Thomas (2008) is directed and written by Miika Soini.It's based on the short stories by the Norwegian Kjell Askildsen.Thomas is a brilliant movie about aging and loneliness dealing also with a topic like euthanasia.It's touching, this old man living in his basement hole and looking outside from his small window observing the world passing by.There's the feeling of externality when he steps outside.And it's somewhat tragicomic when he tries to get the attention of young women, or staring at one's cleavage.Lasse Pöysti gives one of his finest performances as Thomas.He doesn't show us any grand emotions.You just look at his eyes and everything he feels is in there.Pöysti has a long career behind, who people still know as Suomisen Olli, a character he played a long time ago.This is a historical movie, since here Pöysti is in a fictional movie with Pentti Siimes for the first time.Those moments, where he sith on the bench with Siimes are unforgettable.Siimes, who's officially retire, gives another great performance.Other actors include Mauri Heikkilä, Aarre Karén, Marja-Leena Kouki and Eila Halonen.This movie is deeply moving and there's also the fantastic music played there.This is a kind of movie we need more in Finland today.We need these older gentlemen to show us what acting really is.
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fistkov19 September 2009I had a big problem with this film. There were a lot of nice scenes, but the film way too long. It didn't go further and I felt that I was watching more a documentary than a controlled fiction film.
What the film was trying to say about old people, I already knew.
I thought that the small kid in the picture was not believable and the scene at the hairdresser felt like it was from another movie.
There were good things in the film also. I have to admit, that the main actor did a nice job.
But somehow it was easy to guess what was going to happen in the film. It was somehow too obvious.
I think it was an overrated film and should have been at least 15 minutes shorter. Or the should be more things to fill the story.