THE HOUSE OF BRANCHING LOVE
Finland, 2009, 102 minutes, Colour.
Hannu- Pekka Bjorkman, Elina Knhitila.
Directed by Mika Kaurismaki.
Somebody called The House of Branching Love a film of Divorce – Finnish Style.
The central couple are middle-aged, the marriage having gone cold. They are contemplating divorce. However, they decide to live in the same house, separately, the husband trying out a set of rules (he is a family counsellor) and the wife, a professional manager, rejects them.
While they live apart, complications come when the husband brings home a woman and his wife ousts her. However, he does come in contact with a prostitute and brings her home and lives in partnership with her in his part of the house. His wife meets up with an old friend and he too moves in, somewhat reluctantly.
There is some black comedy with the head of a prostitution ring – with strong contacts with the wife and her past. Criminals enter in with some more black comedy leading to the couple having some regard for each other and the possibilities for reconciliation.
The film was directed by Mika Kaurismaki, noted, along with his famous brother, Aki Kaurismaki, for films of rye humour and social observation.
1. A blackish comedy about marriage, divorce, partnerships, reconciliation, true love?
2. From Finland, Finnish culture, Finnish mores, professional worlds, homes, prostitution rings, the musical score?
3. The title, Juhani and Tuula, their house, dividing it, partners moving in, the relationship experiences?
4. The opening, the clash between husband and wife, preparation for divorce, the deciding to live in the same house, Juhani and his list of rules, his wife rejecting them? Unspoken rules and the division of the house? The agreement not to have partners in the house?
5. Juhani, age, family counsellor, seeing him with clients? His inability to handle his own marriage? The breakdown of his love for his wife? His thinking she was too masculine? Going to the club, urged on by his friends, bringing the woman home, the interaction, his wife ousting her? His finding the prostitute, Nina, bringing her home, the relationship, his wife accepting her? Nina softening him?
6. Tuula, professional, the seminars, tough stances, her husband thinking her too masculine? Her anger at her husband, ousting the woman from house? Her meeting up with her past friend, his coming into the house, the partnership, his partial reluctance? The effect on Tuula?
7. The criminals, the connection with the wife, the mother and the prostitution ring, the impact of the criminals on the couple?
8. Each of the couple having a sensitivity towards the other, towards the temporary partners, realisation of what it happened, the possibilities for reconciliation and a future?
