Shadows in Paradise

1986 1h 14m FI

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 455

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Nikander, a rubbish collector and would-be entrepreneur, finds his plans for success dashed when his business associate dies. One evening, he meets Ilona, a down-on-her-luck cashier, in a local supermarket. Falteringly, a bond begins to develop between them.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Matti Pellonpää
Nikander
Kati Outinen
Ilona
Sakari Kuosmanen
Melartin
Esko Nikkari
Nikander's Co-Worker
Kylli Köngäs
Ilona's Friend
Pekka Laiho
Store Manager
Jukka-Pekka Palo
Third Man
Svante Korkiakoski
Police Officer

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Writers: Aki Kaurismäki
Languages: Swedish, Finnish, English
Countries: Finland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 74-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

40 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Swedish, Finnish, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Aki Kaurismäki, shot by Timo Salminen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Raija Talvio shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Matti Pellonpää and Kati Outinen and Sakari Kuosmanen carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0092149 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Aki Kaurismäki directs. Timo Salminen behind the camera. Raija Talvio cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Finland. Dialogue in Swedish, Finnish, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 74-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
240 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Swedish, Finnish, English.
4Directed by Aki Kaurismäki, shot by Timo Salminen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Raija Talvio shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Matti Pellonpää and Kati Outinen and Sakari Kuosmanen carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0092149 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Timo Salminen
Editing: Raija Talvio
Production design: Pertti Hilkamo
Costume design: Tuula Hilkamo
Makeup / hair: Leena Kouhia Rinne
Sound: Kjell Westman
Runtime: 74 min · 1h 14m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: FI
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Shadows in Paradise (1986)

Also by

Aki Kaurismäki

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Community reviews

What people are saying

CRCulver2018-09-06
★ 7/10
Released in 1986, Aki Kaurismaki's Varjoja paratiisissa (Shadows in Paradise) is one of the Finnish filmmaker's earliest efforts, and it stands as one of the most idiosyncratic romantic comedies of all time. The painfully shy Nikander (Matti Pellonpää), a garbage man, means the moody Ilona, a supermarket checkout girl. The film tracks their bumbling attempt to establish a lasting relationship: dates that end as soon as they've begun, a romantic getaway where they each retreat to separate hotel rooms, and rare conversations which employ the absolute bare minimum of words. Nikander's best and only friend Melartin (Sakari Kuosmanen), whom the garbage man only recently met through a spell in jail, gives some needed encouragement. The film's soundtrack is rooted in early rock-and-roll, though unlike later Kaurismaki films where the characters seem to be living in a 1950s bubble, all the action takes place in contemporary Helsinki. I've criticized Kaurismaki's vision of Finland in other films, but Varjoja paratiisissa does, in my opinion, accurately depict the collection of gloomy, taciturn binge drinkers that are the Finns. Varjoja paratiisissa is an early work and doesn't show the confidence of later efforts, but it's still quite entertaining, its leads and their struggles extremely charming, and I would recommend the film. Certainly the performances of Pellonpää (in a typical Pellonpää role) and Outinen (who seemingly reinvents herself in every film) will prove quite memorable.

Production companies