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CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.
Film Review: Love is Champion in ‘The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 9, 2017 - 9:59am
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”The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki” continued its limited release in Chicago on May 5th. For a complete listing of screenings, including Chicago, click here. Featuring Oona Airola, Jarkko Lahti, Eero Milonoff and John Bosco Jr. Written by Juno Kuosmanen and Mikko Myllylahti. Directed by Juno Kuosmanen. Not rated, but available to all audiences.
Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of ”The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki”
Raija (Oona Airola) is the Source of ’The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki’
Photo credit: MUBI
Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of ”The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki”
Printer-friendly versionE-mail page to friendPDF version
CHICAGO – As a film set in 1962, shot on glorious black & white 16mm stock, “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki” has both a feeling that it was made back then, and a timelessness that radiates from that quality. The film is about a boxer, but his heart turns out to be the champion.
 Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
This is based on an actual event, the 1962 Featherweight boxing championship that took place in Finland, between the title character Olli Mäki and American Davey Moore. Although the match is the centerpiece, the story is about young love, and how it can be more important than the “biggest thing ever.” The dichotomy between the two factors is the engine of the plot, and creates a nice meditation on life’s priorities – similar to what happens in “Rocky” – and truer to a spirit of what transpires in real life. This is a hidden gem, which won awards at Cannes, Zurich and our own Chicago International Film Festival.
Olli Mäki (Jarkko Lahti) is a Finnish pro boxer in the lightweight division. His manager Elis (Eero Milonoff) arranges an amazing match, for the featherweight championship of the world against American title holder Davey Moore (John Bosco Jr.). At the same time, Olli is fulfilling an invitation to a family wedding, and ends up connecting with his friend Raija (Oona Airola).
Just as he is about to begin training for the biggest boxing match in the history of Finland, Olli feels himself falling in love with Raija, and is completely distracted by this revelation. Elis is beside himself, for he has recruited several sponsors to go along with Olli’s attempt for the championship, and keeps telling his fighter that it will be his ‘happiest day”… but what will be won is yet to be determined.
Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of ”The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki”Raija (Oona Airola) is the Source of ’The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki’
Photo credit: MUBI
Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of ”The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki”
