The Grump

SYNOPSIS

The Grump is a man from the past. A man who knows that everything used to be so much better in the old days. Pretty much everything that’s been done after 1953 has always managed to ruin The Grump’s day.

Our story unfolds as The Grump takes a fall from his basement steps, hurting his ankle. He has to spend a weekend in Helsinki to attend physiotherapy. The Grump doesn’t like this for four reasons: 1) He has to take a taxi. 2) He can’t take daily care of his wife, an Alzheimer’s patient. 3) He can’t drive, which means he might have to sit in a car with a female driver. 4) He has to spend time with his family.

The daughter-in-law is a career woman, not keen to spend time with The Grump when he comes to the city. Her boss has given her the task to look after Russian businessmen supposed to close a major deal over the weekend. It doesn’t make her any happier when The Grump decides to help with the deal.

Then The Grump has to face his useless son to become the father he never was, teaching his son how to take care of his loved ones. A thing The Grump has never been able to do.

And somebody’s day will be ruined.

PREMIERE

The Grump had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival on the 4th of September 2014. The Finnish premiere was on 5th of September 2014. After a week in movie theaters in Finland, The Grump has already 92 719 admissions (dated 15th Sept).

Director Dome Karukoski’s biography & filmography

Dome Karukoski (born 1976) is one of Finland’s most acclaimed directors. In 2013 he was included in Variety’s list of 10 Directors to Watch.

All of his films have been successes, both critically and at the box office. His five films have a total of 30 nominations for the Finnish National Film Awards. Karukoski has been nominated for Best Director for all of his five feature films. With The Home of Dark Butterflies and Lapland Odyssey, he won the Award for Best Director.

Director’s statement
My Father turned 80 a year ago. He gets angry if he misses the news he’s always watched, he gets angry if somebody loses the stuff he put on the table, and he gets angry because the world is going to ruin. I love him. I made this film for him.

CAST
The Grump – Antti Litja
The Wife – Petra Frey
The Daughter-in-Law – Mari Perankoski
The Son – Iikka Forss

+ Viktor Drevitski, Kari Ketonen, Mikko Neuvonen, Bruno Puolakainen, Janne Reinikainen, Alina Tomnikov

PREMIERE
5.9.2014

DIRECTOR
Dome Karukoski

PRODUCER
Markus Selin, Jukka Helle

SCREENWRITER
Tuomas Kyrö, Dome Karukoski

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Pini Hellstedt

PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Betsy Ångerman-Engström

COSTUME DESIGNER
Anna Vilppunen

MAKE UP ARTIST
Kata Launonen

SOUND
Tuomas Klaavo

MUSIC
Hilmar Örn-Hilmarsson

FILM EDITOR
Harri Ylönen