A lawyer pays a visit to Matti Ojanperä, a bum living under a bridge in the Helsinki harbour, to inform him that he is about to inherit an American aunt of his. The sum 1,000,000 Fmk would be his, if only he meets the qualifications set by his aunt. He must show that he is capable of 'living properly' and possessing a 'respectable occupation and a family he can support'. Otherwise the money would go to a foundation the chairman of which the lawyer himself happens to be!
Acting
Matti Pellonpää's heartbreaking, hilarious drunken dignity.
Direction
Mika Kaurismäki's warmer, messier sibling style.
Writing
Inheritance clause as perfect narrative trap.
Director
Mika Kaurismäki
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Mika Kaurismäki is Aki Kaurismäki's older brother; this film shares actors and deadpan DNA but trades Aki's minimalism for something almost warm.
The 1,000,000 Finnish markka was serious money in 1989 — roughly €168,000 today — making Matti's choice to blow it all on community genuinely radical.
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