Lights In The Dusk on DVD (2006)

Spare and profound

A customer from Glasgow, Scotland , 14/09/2007

This film is an extension of the director's attempts in 2 previous movies in the trilogy (ie Drifting Clouds and The Man with No Name)to show us the 'lights in the dusk' of human banality and lonliness. The lead character is not someone that we can find easy to like or really feel much sympathy for. He is a rather pathetic emotional have-not. He gets into situations which to the audience are obvously not going to work out or are obdurate and obtuse. What is touching is the character's naivity about life and his eventual acceptance of life's banality and seeming pointlessness. I found that very pure and affecting. I think that is what is recognised by another couple of characters in the film who accept that banality in a more positive way. The human solidarity and understanding shown to the main character at the end by the 2 others and a dog was heartwarming and extremely profound.

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classic

A customer from London , 19/09/2008

many of the works by Ari Kaurismaki I consider as a work of genius in its striking, simple true, guidance to life and character.

I recommend this movie for its art ism, good taste.

This director reminds me of Dostoyevsky`s works, however is more intelligent and sad.

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Interesting Work

A customer from London , 06/09/2007

Don't be put off by the subtitles, dialogue is very limited and does not get in the way.

Photography is amazing, and it does capture the mood of the film perfectly. The first half of the film is really good, as it sets up the story pretty nicely, however I am not too convinced about the second half.

We never get to find out why those guys set him up, and the character development is pretty limited. I mean, why rob the store just to land him in jail? It does stretch credibility a bit.

I would still recommend this film, purely on the reason that it is nice to see something other than a Hollywood product; however if you do like your blockbuster and action films this is not for you.

Having said that, if you want to experience some Scandinavian film I would still stick to Ingmar Bergman.

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Utterly dreadful

A customer from London , 25/05/2008

Minimal dialogue, not a single sympathetic character, a protagonist that never manages to emerge from almost complete passivity. If this is a dark comedy, the joke is on the viewer.

This is apparently the last of the director's loser trilogy, and he has lost me for good.

Only redeeming feature is the beautiful photography.

Avoid like Finnish plague.

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Interesting Work

A customer from London , 06/09/2007

Don't be put off by the subtitles, dialogue is very limited and does not get in the way.

Photography is amazing, and it does capture the mood of the film perfectly. The first half of the film is really good, as it sets up the story pretty nicely, however I am not too convinced about the second half.

We never get to find out why those guys set him up, and the character development is pretty limited. I mean, why rob the store just to land him in jail? It does stretch credibility a bit.

I would still recommend this film, purely on the reason that it is nice to see something other than a Hollywood product; however if you do like your blockbuster and action films this is not for you.

Having said that, if you want to experience some Scandinavian film I would still stick to Ingmar Bergman.

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Wonderfully made and relentlessly grim

fixedg from London [Highly rated reviewer] , 27/03/2008

If you've seen any of the other 'Loser' films, you have an idea what you're in for. Beautifully shot and well-performed with low-key dialogue, but do not watch it if you're in the mood to be reassured on some fundamental level about humanity.

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