The Man Without a Past 

The Man Without a Past tells the story of a man who loses his memory after getting beaten up by some strangers at a park. Doctors think that he is dead. A moment later he comes around and finds himself in a hospital covered in bandage. After fixing his broken nose with his bare hands, he gets out of the hospital and goes to the seaside. While lying down on the ground, a homeless man comes and steals his boots, then 2 children realize him. They call their parents, and the family helps him and takes him to their container. The wife nurses him, and the husband becomes a friend of this amnesiac man. 

Not having anything to help him remember his past or who he is, this man tries to build himself a new life. He starts his new life with this community of people who live in shipping containers. A police officer called Anttila acts like a landlord, and he agrees to rent him one. Although these containers don’t even have a lock or a door, he threatens the nameless man by saying that if he doesn’t pay the rent, he will let his dog bite his nose off. 

After finding his new home, he cleans it and sets up his new life. He also tries to find a day job to sustain his life, however, he gets rejected as he doesn’t know his name. Then he meets with Irma who is working for an aid agency that gives free food to the people in need. Irma helps him find a job and earn money. They gradually fall in love with each other. Irma who has never been in love before feels much happier than before with this man’s existence as he brings colors to her life. This man not only changes Irma’s life, but he also enriches the people around him with his musical taste. 

After seeing some metal workers, he goes and asks if he can try welding. After successfully managing this job, they offer him to work with them. He has a new job opportunity, however, to work he needs a bank account. Unfortunately, things go wrong at the bank as a man robs the bank and even though he is innocent, the police take him into custody as he refuses to tell his name. A lawyer who is good at his job saves him, then it turns out that this amnesiac man is a welder who has gambling problems and is in a divorce process with his wife. 

After learning who he is, he goes to see his wife for the last time. He learns that he and his wife are divorced now. Then he leaves his past life behind and turns back to his new-settled life. He is happy with his new friends and his beloved Irma. There is just a little difference in their life. This nameless man has a name now. Jaacklo Antero Lujanen.

The Man Without a Past tells about the lives of people who are unprovided in a country that is one of the most welfare countries in the world. While narrating these lives with a detailed observation, with its strong wit and humor, lots of absurdity, and exquisite music this movie is Kaurismaki’s most vivacious movie. The story of a man who has lost everything but who also wins everything with this loss will warm your hearts with its optimistic perspective.