Friday, 1 June 2018

I Hired a Contract Killer

(Aki Kaurismaki/1990/Finland, France, Germany Sweden & UK)


The Great Finn’s first foray into English speaking film deals with a man who wants to do away with himself but doesn’t have the courage to so he hires a hit man to take him out. Romantic rumblings change his mind but plans are in action and the killer is adamant on carrying out the job. Perversely black humour as ever from Kaurismaki, revelling in the absurdity of it all but I just couldn’t help feeling things were a little wooden. Some of the deliveries of lines and blocking of scenes seemed deliberately stuttered and to what end I couldn’t discern. The overall effect is a somewhat stilted affair or maybe I’m only noticing a Kaurismaki cinematic tic now due to not having to read subtitles? It’s an enjoyable film but certainly not the best outing from this incorrigibly, darkly funny director.

(2.5/5)

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