Calamari Union


Calamari Union is a 1985 Finnish surreal comedy film written, directed, produced, co-edited, and co-scored by Aki Kaurismäki. It stars numerous well-known Finnish actors and rock musicians.

Plot

15 desperate men, all named Frank, band together to escape the repressive Kallio district of Helsinki for the city's upscale seaside borough of Eira. Joined by an English-speaking man named Pekka, they sneak through dark alleys and the tunnels of the Helsinki metro, all the while avoiding the use of surnames to outsmart obstructing forces.

Reception

The film is considered to be a satirical cult classic. Caryn James of The New York Times described the film as "gleefully absurdist", adding that Kaurismäki "takes over the American gangster film and flavors it with his improbable humor". Others have drawn connections between The Saimaa Gesture and Calamari Union and the Finnish punk movement.

Film references

One scene features the characters watching the 1918 film Father Sergius in a movie theater.