Oh hot dog, a drama that plays like a documentary. No, no, don’t get around to explaining the relationship between boxer Olli Mäki (Jarkko Lahti) and Raija Jänkä (Oona Airola), because then I might know. Just go ahead and film Olli’s everyday title fight preparation. What’s this? A plot point? Hey! What’s that doing here? Get outta town. You’re Finnished, my friend.
Olli Mäki was a professional lightweight boxer representing Finland on the world stage when he got a shot at the title against American Davey Moore in 1962. I do hope the real life Olli was a bit more intimidating; Jarkko Lahti looks like an accountant. In fact, if you set the actor against his movie partner, Oona, I’d bet on the girl straight up, no odds. For the traditionally modest Finns, even hosting a world title bout was kind of a big deal; I have no idea what strings had to be pulled to make this a home game, so to speak, but I have no trouble believing this was a big deal in Helsinki. Aside from hosting the summer Olympics a decade earlier, Finland’s contributions to world sport have been limited almost exclusively to one long distance runner (Paavo Nurmi) and half the Anaheim Ducks.
The first act of The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki plays very much like a documentary. Olli goes to a wedding with his girlfriend. The two have fun. Here’s Olli sparring. Here’s Olli horsing around in the showers. Here’s Olli meeting his opponent; here’s Olli meeting his bully of a manager, Elis Ask (Eero Milonoff). The understated Olli doesn’t look or act like a boxer (or not ones I’ve seen, at least). He’s cordial, friendly, modest. He has no stake in the boxing mind game … and he’s completely into his girl. After a press conference, Olli confides to Elis that he thinks he’s falling in love. Oh, crap, we have a movie. Up until this moment, it may as well have been black and white movietone news b-roll. And now, not only do we have a movie, but one that has me totally confused – these two weren’t really an item before? Well, why was she traveling to Helsinki with him, then? I feel like there was a marriage-like relationship before this moment, but only now do we discover Olli has true feelings for Raija? I don’t get it. And if I don’t get it, imagine the thoughts of Elis – here’s the biggest sporting event Finland has hosted in a decade. National pride and a prestigious world title are on the line, and his athlete is “falling in love?!”
I’m currently imagining Mike Tyson losing to Evander Holyfield because he “fell in love.” Do you think
that during their title match, Olli ever leaned over to his opponent and claimed, “I thought I told you, Davey Moore, I’m a lover, not a fighter?”
If I’m being honest, I was far into the romance of Happiest Day than the sport … and so was Olli, of course. Neither story line, however, is a winner. This movie is trapped by the biographical material; in accepting the real life story, the romance doesn’t develop properly and then we lose the girl for weeks at a time because reality happened. The only time this picture works is when Olli’s training and Olli’s love are in direct conflict with one another. I’m sure this conflict occurs often enough for some viewers, but not this one. I love the Finns and their cryptogrammatical language, but this movie was far from my Happiest Day.
♪You got a title bout and your head’s elsewhere
You’ll train in Helsinki if your girlfriend’s there
You missed your weight class and now no fat
But everybody’s watching, hey, what’s up with that?
You gotta hint at your right to aaaaaaaardor
You coach caught you woo-ing and he says “no way!”
That hypocrite has a kid named “Jere”
Man, living as Finns is no dessert
This country reinvented the introvert
You gotta hint at your right to aaaaaaaardor♫
Unrated (but *gasp* penises!), 92 Minutes
D: Juho Kuosmanen
W: Juho Kuosmanen, Mikko Myllylahti
Genre: Rokkïï-Bäälbolainen
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Finns
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Modern boxing film fans
♪ Parody inspired by “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right”
