While this was being made, the citizens of the nation of the makers of this film were being polled to become in the following year the (supposedly!) "happiest" nation in the world*: although, oddly, contrarily, yet (then) with one of its highest suicide rates (N. B. now falling): to which, "a popular local saying goes, 'Happiness will always end in tears.'" (as reported in contemporary New York Times article on, at the time);
by which - and surely no doubt intentionally by writer / director Batal AND main female star Hannula (notably when see below!) - this Finnish film offering provides a thoroughly jarring antidote to the former assertion with devastating affirmation of the latter.
In that, Finnish film throws up yet again another ** of its thoroughly miserable, depressing, nihilistic contributions to its cinematic oeuvre 'entertainment' (or, is it, edification?):
As one of the best - ergo worst, e.g. If you like traditional Hollywood like happy endings! - ever it's been my (mis!)fortune to sit through, you really just gotta admire the Finns for putting this type of storytelling up on screen under the guise of entertainment (for if not based / inspired by 'real life' events somehow, some way .. you just gotta wonder, ask, then, why?!)
Nominally titled for the character who knows he is a - factual - b*st*rd (and reaffirmed by being his face on the ad / box***), yet, once you watch through you can realise actually, surely no doubt, was given as rather the epithet / description (insult) meaning for Brit bi-lingual speaker (Jonathan Hutchings) whose charcater's earlier dalliance gives rise to all the utter misery that eventually, consequentially, all flows out, to mean that 'in the end (- 'it'll all end in tears' - an English saying - as it does heartbreakingly so in this), becomes, in effect, a powerful and resounding warning invocation on relationship faithfulness and the (long term) consequences of thoughtless flings - along the lines of another idiom: 'Be assured, your sins will - always - find you out'!
(In this respect, Satu Silva gives a powerfully menacing performance; even more so at the hinted at - but, unfortunately, never developed - criminal background inference threats: "wet cement", huh?!)
Along the way to this utter nihilism denouement you'll also get thrown in, courtesy of Finnish scriptwriter(s) and director, a scene which means it is unlikely to easily turn up (= 'unrated'), in the English speaking world, as so intrusively and repulsively voyeuristically shown that enormous kudos has to go to (by the way, gorgeous!) Krista Hannula in 'portraying' (in hotel room, er, scene); and which to my mind, if not entirely unnecessarily so as completely offensively gratuitous, can only have been shot in at such seemingly real time length in order to highlight the deep misogyny that still underlies Finland's supposedly admirable equality of the sexes (false!) reputation. (Why else would she have 'consented' to having to represent this? For - shock, horror - it was her that co-wrote the screenplay!!!!)
In this respect, getting into the tenor, as it were, of the piece, director Batal has chosen an 'in your face', almost literal 'up your nose' - (especially in titular 'Äparä' = i.e. English translated, 'b*st*rd, Eppu Pastinen's case) - constantly moving, restless like, hand held camera approach throughout, to the extent of almost delivering motion sickness - presumably deliberately so to match the emotions being set up onscreen.
SO: if you, ah, 'enjoy' misery, depression and nihilism to an nth degree, e.g. In the vein of 'A Ma Soeur (Fat Girl)', 'The Vanishing'****, this easily matches those to be one of the 'best/worst' ever put out: however, if you feel cinema should have somewhere, somehow, some redeeming quality, avoid like the extreme plague!!!
(Test your own depression resilience by double billing it with another recent Finn thoroughly repulsive (i.e. 'good' if you like that sort of thing) nihilism piece: J. P. Valkeapaa's 'They Have Escaped.' Gives a good idea of just how 'happy' the Finns - at least in cinema depiction - are ....!)
* United Nations 'World Happiness Reports'.
** There are just so many; but you could start with from back in the seventies, 'The Earth is a Sinful Song' (Dir. Rauni Mollberg.)
*** I found it intriguing that the box shows both Pastinen AND Hannula's half face matched, to foreshadow the sibling resemblance (NOT so highlighted in the film) but with being underscribed with the title, possibly inferring that she, too, is ...?
**** As note the - unresolved - predicament given to Jori (Anssi Niemi) ... ohh; disturbing!
