Storyline
A political drama set in the fictional country of Illyria between 1943 and 1945, the story is about the assassination of a leading politician. The country, an ally of Nazi Germany, is on the verge of being annexed to the Eastern Bloc. Kaurismäki's TV adaptation of Jean-Paul Sartre's play Les Mains Sales (Dirty Hands) tells the story of Hugo (Matti Pellonpää) who has just been released from prison. Before going to prison, he has worked as a journalist at his party's newspaper. This timid journalist, who uses the pseudonym Raskolnikov, wants to advance in his career and gets his chance when Hoederer (Sulevi Peltola), the leader of the party, has to be eliminated.
Cast & Crew
Sulevi Peltola
Hoederer
Lead
Matti Pellonpää
Hugo Barine
Kati Outinen
Jessica Barine
Kaija Pakarinen
Olga
Pertti Sveholm
Louis
Kari Väänänen
Ivan
Pirkka-Pekka Petelius
Slick
Aake Kalliala
Georges
What People Are Saying
3.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Aki Kaurismäki's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. Dirty Hands is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
