The year is 1980.Patu (Unto Helo) moves from Helsinki to Joensuu.There he meets a beautiful local girl called Noora (Hanna Mari Karhinen) and he becomes a friend with a guy called Lajunen (Mikko Hakola) who has a band.Patu becomes a manager of the band.They name the band after a famous author Kalle Päätalo who passed away last November.After a rough start Kalle Päätalo starts getting gigs and soon they're on their way to Tavastia in Helsinki.Perttu Leppä's Pitkä Kuuma Kesä from 1999 is a good Finnish movie that is filled with nostalgia. The youth in this movie drinks a lot and smokes a lot just like they do in real life in Finland.I don't do that so I can't identify with the characters.But I still found this movie very enjoyable to watch.The young actors were good.Some of them are better known as musicians like guitarist Konsta Hiekkanen who played Jimi and singer Toni Wirtanen who played Lärssi.And of course you can find Martti Suosalo in the movie who is just about in every movie that are made in Finland.The music is also good in the movie.Original music is made by Pauli Hanhiniemi and Juice Leskinen.You can also hear Pelle Miljoona and other great musicians of the 80's.This isn't the best Finnish movie I have seen but this is very entertaining.I recommend Pitkä Kuuma Kesä for everybody who wants to see a good Finnish movie.It's not larger than life but it doesn't have to be.
