"What do you do? I am a psycho
.. logist". This is a short excerpt in the film Musta Jaa directed by Petri Kotwica, from when Saara, played by Outi Maenpaa, first met Tuuli who was played by Ria Kataja. It is in this first conversation where the tone will be set for the two's portrayed relationship. Tuuli asks Saara what she does for a living when she meets Saara at her martial arts class. Saara at first says that she is a psycho (which is not very far off the truth) and then hesitates and finishes her statement by adding -logist to the end of her word. Saara not only lies about her profession, but also gives Tuuli a fake name of Krista. Right away, the audience witnesses the level of Saara's deceitfulness, but it is not without cause. Prior to meeting Tuuli, Saara sadly discovers her husband of many years and architect professor, Leo (Marti Suosalo), has been cheating on her with another woman. After doing some snooping on Leo's computer, she identifies one of his students and local martial arts instructor Tuuli as being his mistress. In an eventual effort to harm/kill Tuuli, Saara assumes a fake identity so she could become "friends" with her. Unfortunately things do not go quite as planned for Saara and a deceitful love triangle is formed. Love triangles can only hold up for so long and, as in the case of Musta Jaa, the thrilling twists and turns of the triangle will keep audiences up on the edge of their seats trying to guess what will happen next. Kotwica does an excellent job of keeping the suspense alive and leaves very few clues as to how the love triangle will untangle itself. Musta Jaa is definitely not for children, but if you are looking for an intense thriller, then you have come to the right place.
One common theme in several Nordic films is infidelity and it just so happens to be at the heart of Musta Jaa's storyline. We see this theme predominantly in the relationship between Leo and Saara. Up until this point in their marriage, Saara was unaware of Leo's sexual escapades and it is not until she finds out about Tuuli that she realizes her husband has been involved with several other women throughout their marriage. Whereas Saara did not have the slightest clue Leo was cheating on her, Tuuli knew about Saara the entire time. Tuuli did not seem to have a problem with dating a man who was already married, not to mention almost twice her age. Even Saara chose to have a one night stand to blow off some steam once she found out she was cheated on by Leo. Unlike the United States, infidelity is a little more common and frequent in the Nordic countries including Finland, which is why Kotwica and many other Nordic directors include the theme in their films.
I found it interesting when I discovered the film was directed by a man because it is a very anti-male film. The film seems to portray males as being untrustworthy and having their minds driven by sex, whereas the women are portrayed to be strong and determined. You see this displayed in the film when Saara is able to successfully turn Leo's love affair back in his face. Leo is too focused on his sexual will and fails to notice his life being turned upside down until it is too late. In a recent interview, Kotwica was asked why he portrayed males so poorly in the film and he responded by saying "It must have something to do with hating certain episodes of my life and looking back I see myself acting as a clown in the past." He also went on to mention his main focus was developing a story between two women and would prefer to have spent a minimal amount of time on the male character. I believe Kotwica accomplishes his goal by spending the majority of the movie focusing on the relationship between Saara and Tuuli rather than devoting an equal amount of time to their relationships with Leo.
Overall, Musta Jaa is a deceitful drama with many twists and turns that wrap up in a rather peaceful and linear way. Kotwica does an excellent job using very dark sets and lighting in the film to help enhance its dark themes. The music and soundtrack in the film also fit in perfectly with its intense atmosphere. I thought all three of the main actors/actresses played their parts full of emotion and were entertaining to watch throughout. Some of the sex scenes are fairly graphic, but they do not take away from the overall enjoyment of the film. As long as the kids are in bed, Musta Jaa is an excellent choice for a late night thriller that will keep you guessing the entire time.
One common theme in several Nordic films is infidelity and it just so happens to be at the heart of Musta Jaa's storyline. We see this theme predominantly in the relationship between Leo and Saara. Up until this point in their marriage, Saara was unaware of Leo's sexual escapades and it is not until she finds out about Tuuli that she realizes her husband has been involved with several other women throughout their marriage. Whereas Saara did not have the slightest clue Leo was cheating on her, Tuuli knew about Saara the entire time. Tuuli did not seem to have a problem with dating a man who was already married, not to mention almost twice her age. Even Saara chose to have a one night stand to blow off some steam once she found out she was cheated on by Leo. Unlike the United States, infidelity is a little more common and frequent in the Nordic countries including Finland, which is why Kotwica and many other Nordic directors include the theme in their films.
I found it interesting when I discovered the film was directed by a man because it is a very anti-male film. The film seems to portray males as being untrustworthy and having their minds driven by sex, whereas the women are portrayed to be strong and determined. You see this displayed in the film when Saara is able to successfully turn Leo's love affair back in his face. Leo is too focused on his sexual will and fails to notice his life being turned upside down until it is too late. In a recent interview, Kotwica was asked why he portrayed males so poorly in the film and he responded by saying "It must have something to do with hating certain episodes of my life and looking back I see myself acting as a clown in the past." He also went on to mention his main focus was developing a story between two women and would prefer to have spent a minimal amount of time on the male character. I believe Kotwica accomplishes his goal by spending the majority of the movie focusing on the relationship between Saara and Tuuli rather than devoting an equal amount of time to their relationships with Leo.
Overall, Musta Jaa is a deceitful drama with many twists and turns that wrap up in a rather peaceful and linear way. Kotwica does an excellent job using very dark sets and lighting in the film to help enhance its dark themes. The music and soundtrack in the film also fit in perfectly with its intense atmosphere. I thought all three of the main actors/actresses played their parts full of emotion and were entertaining to watch throughout. Some of the sex scenes are fairly graphic, but they do not take away from the overall enjoyment of the film. As long as the kids are in bed, Musta Jaa is an excellent choice for a late night thriller that will keep you guessing the entire time.