Dome Karukoski's newest movies continues to reinforce his strongest points, but it also reveals some of his weaknesses. Based on Tuomas Kyrö's fictional character Mielensäpahoittaja, the movie tells the tale of an old man, so set on his ways that he makes cavemen seem liberal in comparison. There's one proper newspaper, one proper car, one proper way of earning a living, one proper television show (the news, of course) and of course one proper way for a married couple to live together. The story starts when he has to travel to Helsinki in order to visit a doctor. In there he stays with his son and daughter-in-law. Hilarity ensues.
If I'm being completely honest, I have to admit that the movie works best when it doesn't try to be funny, which is kind of a problem because it's a comedy. Or a comedic drama, which brings me to the good points. It's a very strong drama movie about the clashing of old and new. I especially love the family of the son and the daughter-in-law. This is a perfect example of a 21st century family, and yet it's not hammered in or forced down our throats. It's done subtle-like, slowly revealed, even though at first it's seen from the point of view of The Grump, who believes it to be one of the weirdest, most dysfunctional things he has ever seen. But we learn along with him and that journey makes this film worthwhile.
Still, it cannot be denied that a lot of the elements of the film seem detached from one another. We have a few humorous scenes with the Russians, then some flashbacks, then some angry yelling drama, then some humorous jihinks again, followed by the biggest screaming fit yet seen. This disparity would be fine, if the scenes connected, but quite often they do not. The final third kind of pulls it all together, but you have to get there first, which can be be problematic. And yet that ending is so good that it almost makes up for it.
I can safely say that I liked The Grump. It has its flaws and I can see why some people don't like it at all. But when it works, when the scene simply captivates you with its poignancy or simple beauty, then all the flaws seem to melt away and you're left with something that will stick with you. And that's the mark of a good film.
