Review of A Man's Job

At the time of writing IMDb advise that the UK title for this film is, 'A Man's Work' but it was shown as, 'A Man's Job' at its London Film Festival screening yesterday, which I would have thought was a better title. As for the film itself, it is rather difficult to enjoy because of all the unhappiness on display. It is an insightful and compassionate piece of work but hard to get very close to those involved. Finland sits twixt Scandinavia and the old Soviet block and have until the first world war been first part of Sweden and then Russia. We consider Scandinavians to be prone to depression, perhaps because of the cold and darkness and maybe Finns suffer more because of the added element of schizophrenia. Anyway, everybody here seems dysfunctional and when you discover that the film tells of its main character getting involved in offering services to older ladies and even a Down's syndrome sufferer, things don't get much more cheery. Its well done and for the most part, almost convincing but it is badly let down by the ending. I assume that this is intended as a happy ending and perhaps to the Finns it is but to me and my fellow, stunned into silence, cinema goers, it seemed a desperately sad end indeed.