Finnish folksy comedy proved it’s might once again, when The Grump: In Search of an Escort (2022), the third adaptation in the series about the character Grump created by Tuomas Kyrö, became the most watched film in Finland. In this film, directed by Mika Kaurismäki, the Grump (Heikki Kinnunen) goes on a quest to find a new second-hand car, a 1975 Escort.
The Grump’s quest takes him to Germany to his estranged nephew Tarmo (Kari Väänänen), while his own sons are struggling with family problems in Finland. Set in the idyllic Finnish summery countryside and international German landscapes, this film is a commentary on escalating technological and humane gaps between generations, in a world where you can’t get money from the bank anymore and the word Escort refers to escort service. Much like Kaurismäki, who lived in South America, the world-travelling character Tarmo embodies the yearning for freedom in the nomadic lifestyle. The film questions conservative values through comedy while highlighting the value of family and even featuring a smidge of environmental ethos.
Tuomo Marttila