
In a conservative and religious small town in Northern Finland during the late 1970s, the arrival of the sexual revolution disrupts the balance of two architect families. The plot follows two 13-year-old boys, singers in the traditional Star Boys Christmas procession (Tiernapojat), who closely witness their parents' sexual liberation and the resulting marital tensions. Confronted with the adults' behavior and the breakdown of their family structures, the teenagers face upheavals that impact their own transition into adulthood.
Striving for validation. Let’s be frank….we ALL want to be successful. Whatever we put our efforts into, ideally it is to make it culminate in the best possible results across the board, especially when it comes to what career path we are pursuing. We WANT to excel, to shine, to advance, to be acknowledged. AND…let’s hope that we also wish to better everyone around us to boot. However, what occurs when those whom we initially put our trust in suddenly become a burden instead of a boon? Do we falter under the weight of rejection? Or STAND UP for WHO WE ARE?
This is not a story of oppression but a story of liberation.
Remakes. Reboots. Reinventions. Redundancy. It's the common practice in Hollywood of late, sometimes offering us victorious reimagining of what can be considered cinematic classics while also, more often, falling flat on their UN-imaginative faces in utter defeat and lackluster results. Admittedly, with this in mind, I went into the newest incarnation of "The War of the Roses" with typical trepidation and cautious optimism.
Stevan Lee Mraovitch’s film is a beautiful tribute to family, found family, and the lengths people will go to support their loved ones.
A Christmas tale that everyone is wishing for, and that everyone will remember.