Kaiken se estää (2017)

	Also Known As: Star boys, Sternsinger
	Year of first release: 2017
	Director: Visa Koiso-Kanttila
	Actors: Vili Saarela, Olavi Angervo
	Country: FIN, S
	Genre: Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 05.11.2017, CineStar2, NFDL2017, Finnish with English subtitle
Synopsis: That morning, they were still a happy family. Vesa (Saarela) lives with his parents and his little sister in a small town in northern Finland. The 13-year-old forged a sauna ladle as a birthday present for his father. But that evening, as he is out carolling in the streets with his friend Kaarlo (Angervo), they unexpectedly stumble upon their parents having a toga party. Suddenly everything seems to go off the rails – Vesa’s father is noticeably attracted to Kaarlo’s mother, Vesa’s mother moves back to her parents’ house in a fit of rage, Kaarlo’s father takes refuge in silence. While the adults are discovering the freedom of the sexual revolution, as well as battling its consequences, the youngsters are left dangerously alone. The film is a finely observed portrait of an era when values were changing, and of how different generations coped with that.
Review: The idea is original to analyse the way children experienced the 70s revolution. Well, the sexual revolution. Koiso-Kanttila manages to tell what the parents and grandparents transmit from what they do. Shelter, security, conflict solving within the family, do things together. The parents conflicts lead Vesa to hate the origin of it, that is the sexual freedom of the father. Inversly the grandpa shows how to look at the stars and this brings peace to his mind. The conflicts between kids and what Vesa and Kaarlo learn out of it is more common but necessary in the movie as it is part of their education during that time. Even if it was for very short scenes, I liked the relation with the grandpa and with the stars. The atmosphere of continuous conflictual tension between the parents and between Vesa and the bullier kids are well acted.  The directing, cinematography, light, sound have nothing special and it is fine. By several aspects of the atmosphere this reminds me the French movies of the 70s to 80s by Eric Rohmer. A lot of attention to the characters without being arty.
Rating: 6 /10