Me and Morrison

What happens when two urban drifters end up in the same bed?

The departure point for Finnish Cinema in 2002, Me and Morrison, directed by Lenka Hellstedt – is a bittersweet tale of a love affair between two people whose lives seem to have lost all direction. The female lead, Milla, is drifting aimlessly through life until she meets Aki. They fall in love – but happiness in a relationship shadowed by crime and drugs is not necessarily a given.

The movie is based on the novel Minä ja Morrison by first-time author Kata Kärkkäinen, adapted for the screen by Marko Leino. The producer, Markus Selin, describes the movie as ”the second episode of the Restless trilogy”, referring to the smash movie hit of 2000.

The two movies have many themes in common:
”Each episode is about the trials of being a young adult, and the difficulties of learning how to love at that age. The episodes are also the first features of their directors and the premeres are two years apart,” lists Selin.

The leading roles are played by the most glamorous of Finnish stars: Irina Björklund and Samuli Edelmann. Director Lenka Hellstedt has cast foreign actors in the central supporting roles: hugely talented director-actor Baltasar Kormakur form Iceland plays a mafia boss, and highly praised Swedish beauty, Eva Röse, takes the role of Milla’s best friend, Sophie. Dutch actor Yorick van Wageningen plays the role of Jan, Sophie’s photographer boyfriend.

Me and Morrison was nominated for a Finnish Movie Award in four categories: best movie, best actor (Samuli Edelman), best actress (Irina Björklund) and best editing (Kimmo Taavila). Irina Björklund got the award in the cathegory of the best leading actress. Me and Morrison was voted also for the best movie of the year by
the Finnish audience.

Synopsis

What happens when two urban drifters end up in the same bed? They are full of hope and dope, without a sense of reality. Funny? Yes, but also tragic and deeply touching. It’s a film about love, dependence and self-deception.

Milla (IRINA BJÖRKLUND) is a young woman, hungry for life, slightly out of balance, and stuck on the verge of adulthood and independence. She is dreaming of leaving Northern Europe and a happiness that will follow but she is not prepared to do anything to fulfill her goal. Living in daydreams just happens to be a lot nicer than facing the surrounding reality.

Milla meets Aki (SAMULI EDELMANN), a single father a couple of years her senior. With his tragic backround and intriguing mysteriousness, Aki is clearly a man who can make Milla’s hopeless dreams come true.

A passionate love story begins where both obsessively cling onto each other and their shared dream. Quickly the facade of their romance and the happy family start crumbling. They realize they cannot mould reality into what they like with a net of lies. Aki and Milla both have to answer this question: what is left when even love isn’t enough? Does either of them have the strength or the desire to change and give up something?

SELECTED CAST
Milla – Irina Björklund
Aki – Samuli Edelmann
Joonas – Roope Karisto
Sophie – Eva Röse
Milla’s mother – Titta Jokinen
Jan – Yorick van Wageningen
Askildsen – Baltasar Kormákur