The Man Without a Past

Play trailer

The Man Without a Past

PG-13

Released Apr 4, 2003

1h 37m

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

99 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

After a brutal beating in a Helsinki park, a middle-aged welder (Markku Peltola) falls into a coma. When he wakes up, he cannot recollect a single detail about his life. Unable to provide information to the authorities, the man has no legal way to regain his life. He finds a community of homeless people, and creates a home out of a metal container. He eventually meets Irma (Kati Outinen), a Salvation Army worker, and they fall in love while he rebuilds a life with new friends and a new job.

Critics Consensus

Kaurismäki delivers another droll comedy full of his trademark humor.

Read Critics Reviews

Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

Kaurismaki's movies can tickle you with the briefest of statements, the smallest of gestures.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 29, 2003

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

At the end of The Man Without a Past, I felt a deep but indefinable contentment.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jun 27, 2003

Full Review

Farah Cheded

A Good Movie To Watch

It’s not often a movie can so persuasively reassure us of people’s inherent goodness, but it’s even rarer still for it to be done with as much deceptive, charming simplicity as here.

Sep 2, 2023

Full Review

Barbara Majsa

barbaramajsa.com

M is a multilayered character. He is both an outcast and an artist, but he could be much more. He is no one and everyone, and Helsinki for him is nothing and everything.

Feb 22, 2020

Full Review

Jeffrey Overstreet

Christianity Today

With its rusty railroads and dingy metal canisters where the downtrodden dwell, [this film] finds color, surprise, and joy in the simplicity of struggling Helsinki outcasts.

Rated: B+

Mar 16, 2019

Full Review

Read all reviews

Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 37 minutes!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Some Violence!!!!!!!!!!!! In Finnish and English audio versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $921,500.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

Full Review

Sergio A

This is definitely what cinema is all about

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/09/25

Full Review

Thomas S

A film of infinite poetry, which improves with each viewing. This kind of humor served with a straight face really hits home. Ari Kaurismäki's soundtracks are such an inspiration that I started learning Finnish to understand them better.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/08/25

Full Review

Brad CKA L

Wow! Rotten Tomatoes with the deep cut. Also, like, I'm pretty sure this man had a past. Just sayin's all. This movie is somehow so serious it's hilarious. Sort of like Finland in general. Check out my longer review: https://youtu.be/6bGH8Qhm-Q8?si=I5VC5MQnQdUtIvho

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/26/24

Full Review

Amit S

The film talks about a philosophy that life has nothing to do with our memories. Life has life of its own. That being said, the subtle use of Rock n Roll as a metaphor was the masterstroke imho. Must watch and absolutely brilliant.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/14/24

Full Review

Cam H

This movie should go down as once of the greatest films made. I’m obsessed with this movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/23/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Aki Kaurismäki

Director

Markku Peltola

M

Kati Outinen

Irma

Juhani Niemelä

Nieminen

Kaija Pakarinen

Kaisa

Sakari Kuosmanen

Anttila

Saint Ralph

65%

85%

Saint Ralph

Watchlist

The Thing About My Folks

44%

51%

The Thing About My Folks

Watchlist

The Terminal

61%

73%

The Terminal

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Terminal

It Runs in the Family

30%

29%

It Runs in the Family

Watchlist

The Big Bounce

16%

24%

The Big Bounce

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

After a brutal beating in a Helsinki park, a middle-aged welder (Markku Peltola) falls into a coma. When he wakes up, he cannot recollect a single detail about his life. Unable to provide information to the authorities, the man has no legal way to regain his life. He finds a community of homeless people, and creates a home out of a metal container. He eventually meets Irma (Kati Outinen), a Salvation Army worker, and they fall in love while he rebuilds a life with new friends and a new job.

Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Producer: Aki Kaurismäki
Screenwriter: Aki Kaurismäki
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Pyramide Productions, Sputnik Oy, Bavaria Film, Yleisradio, Pandora Filmproduktion
Rating: PG-13 (Some Violence)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: Finnish
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 28, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $921.5K
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)