The Match Factory Girl: the pursuit of happiness is a hard task in Aki Kaurismäki’s drama: the film follows a young woman, with a mind-numbing job at the aforementioned match factory and a loveless life at home with her indifferent parents, inserted in a world where life outside is bleak. Her lack of success and the way she eventually goes about it make the tone of this darker. Still, the signature deadpan delivery keeps this miles away from a typical melodrama. Kati Outinen plays the shy girl, and rarely so much was projected with so little; it’s an unusual but excellent performance. Vesa Vierikko, as the sleazeball she falls for, is also quite good. Cinematographer Timo Salminen captures the vivid colors of the sad environments quite well. The use of music is excellent, with the lyrics often commenting, ironically or not, on the action.