No friends, only interests

'The New York stock market has crashed and the whole western world has drifted into economic depression and mass unemployment. Stalin has invited the working people of the world to help built the Soviet Union, a workers' paradise. More than 10,000 people have left the United States and Canada hoping for a better life in the promised land. More than 6,000 of them are American Finns. This is their story.' Thus the award-winning movie begins. One of the unlucky ones in the story is Jussi Ketola who after a stint in the United States settles back to Finland with his family, but after almost being killed by fascist Finns wakes up in Russia and is forcefully being told to spy the Americans in Russia. The family loving pacifist is neck deep in commie paranoia and he only wants to go back home. Years go by and the Russian persecution grows stronger, ending up in horrifying circumstances. I understand that the film was well received, Tommi Korpela as Jussi Mäki is one of the best acting performances in Finnish cinema and it's directed to almost perfection. The lack of authentism is the only pitfall, I was never swallowed into the story living the pain and suffering of the characters, it was rather emotionless in that sense.