Love is Champion in ‘The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki’

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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.

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).

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Raija (Oona Airola) is the Source of ’The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki’
Photo credit: MUBI

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.

Boxing movies are essentially about redemption, and this is no exception, but the redemption has nothing to do with the ring. Anchored by the remarkable performance of Jarkko Lahti as Olli – remember that boxing films require both physical skill and acting chops – the film bobs and weaves through the character’s lovelorn soul. His hangdog demeanor contains a necessary empathy – for example, there is a scene where he observes a carnival worker breaking into tears, and realizes that he is nothing more than a sideshow attraction himself.

The radical cinematography (Kodak literally had to manufacture more 16mm film stock to get the film done) is the second star of the film. The black, white and grays of the film-grain environment are regally expressive, and evoke a nostalgia for films of the era… “Happiest” could have been the nominee for Best Foreign Language film in 1962, that’s how authentic it feels. At the same time, it’s not a nostalgic story, but a decisive look into a process that may be the most important thing ever, until it’s not. That’s life, brothers and sisters.

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Olli (Jarkko Lahti, right) and Manager Elis (Eero Milonoff) in ’The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki’
Photo credit: MUBI

The solid supporting cast enhances Olli’s journey with their own trips. Eero Milonoff as boxing manager Elis obviously is on one of his last deals. There is a telling scene where Elis is kicked out of his house, and Olli is forced to help him with his kids, as he begs their benefactors for a further advance. The ballet of the scene is significant, and has implications for the rest of the story. Oona Airola as girlfriend Raija is radiant profundity. Yes, she the “Adrian” of the this boxing movie, but her inspiration has nothing to do with the big fight.

Mostly, this film has the old moral “love conquers all,” and deservedly so. There are so many loves in our lives, both in people and experiences. But if you find that one profound passion, as our hero Olli did, than all the other loves spring from it, and those loves inspire each other until the mortal coil is departed.

”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.

HollywoodChicago.com senior staff writer Patrick McDonald

By PATRICK McDONALD
Writer, Editorial Coordinator
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

© 2017 Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

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