The Wait (2021) Poster

(2021)

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7/10
So Called Love
pembekeci1 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
First I need to say that I was under the influence of the movie for a few days after watching it. My primitive understanding of life, love and other things was not enough to figure characters' motivations out. This movie didn't broaden my horizon but gave me a second horizon which I never want to look at consciously.

Movie is about a wife's affair with one of her husband's best friends (also an ex of wife). Husband is a preacher and invites his friend to their home. After a few failed attempts his friend and his wife have sex a few times and the last one is a bit different.

There are some interesting points having some clues about the actions of wife like she never seems neither lack of a good sex nor having an unloving husband, yet has sex with husband's friend. But once, she says that she had wild relationships, one night stands, lived everything etc. After her seperation with her ex then settled with the preacher husband (classic cliché). Chances are she might have developed some sex addiction during that era or she wants to figure out if she still interested in her ex. So, one might think that wife has some credible foundation for her actions until she has an unbelievable sexual intercourse with the ex under some weird conditions; she has sex letting her husband to hear them and watch them sleeping naked. She probably did it to be honest as much as possible against her husband. So she means that if you still want me you have to live through with this without making up things in your head but living it raw even if it's humiliating. (by the way first she apologizes from husband before sleeping with his friend). I have never seen a scene like this cruel and rude in any movie. It's a new level! Even a new dimension! Director shot the sex scenes explicit but yes it is true that when two people have sex it happens like that.

But if you can isolate yourself from the intense music that she plays with her cello, flows with the beautiful scenery and poker face of her, you can realize that she attracted only with familiar but different skin, odor, tounge, genitals, pattern of having sex, pressure, touch and penetration. It was all about having sex with another human being. She just wanted to taste it. That's it! That's all! And husband's friend's motivation is no exception!

Some tries to explain it with female hypergami or attractness of alpha male or feminist liberalism or male's trying to spread their sperms as much as possible bla bla bla... Those arguments might be true but sometimes... sometimes... rarely... not often... love prevents cheating, humiliating or hurting a partner. Love prevents a man from pointing a rifle to his best friend's head crying.

Husband truly loves his wife. But it's a very different version of love.

Husband's friend is worthless to talk about.

In my humble opinion the wife wants whole world with everything in it. She doesn't have a visible scar on her face but has a scar on her mind. One can see it in her eyes in the last scene when she stares at her husband and might yell " Oh God! Don't kill him!"

Absolutely worth to watch. 7 out of 10.
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7/10
Woman on Top!
spookyrat14 October 2022
I have to admit, I've seen little Finnish cinema in the past; a lot more Swedish and Norwegian. But The Wait is undoubtedly worth the wait (Pardon the pun.). It's a slow - burning drama from director Aku Louhimies, who is apparently quite experienced and who co - wrote this movie along with lead actress Inka Kallén, adapting it from a very well known nineteenth century Finnish novel.

The Wait is not a great movie, but it is a very interesting one for anyone like me, who is keen on seeing more Finnish product. For a start, the summer coastal scenery is just stunning, with the whole movie being set on an unnamed, underpopulated island off the coast, accessible by ferry. Elli (Kallen) lives there along with her preacher husband Mikko. The congregation of his decidedly progressive church as a whole seem to be mostly made up of thirty somethings (unrealistically I'd suggest), bent on having a good time while on their island paradise. Elli and Mikko seem to have a very satisfying marriage, which somewhat predictably suffers some tremors, with the arrival of Phd student Olavi, an old bestie of Mikko's. But seemingly unknown to Mikko, also an old flame of Elli's, who in the past dumped her; an act we find out, she never quite got over.

It's kind of amusing reading other reviews here, which complain, The Wait has no story. Indeed it has a very clear story, but one that isn't filled with reams of dialogue and exposition. Elli initially appears to be a traditional house wife, content to carry out domestic duties such as cooking, cleaning and supporting her husband further with her presence at church, even though we sense she doesn't hold anywhere near as strong religious beliefs. We gradually learn however she is a fiercely independent woman in her own right, who has in the past trod her own definite path in life and who intends to keep doing so in the future. It becomes clear there will be some sort of reckoning between her and Olavi and the suspense comes in attempting to determine how this relationship will impact her marriage.

Inka Kallen in the central role carries the picture on her shoulders and does an excellent job, considering as I mentioned, she doesn't have the large amount of dialogue, that one might expect in a film of this nature. But she is marvellously expressive at communicating her inner self and feelings with her body language and facial impressions. The supporting cast are all very competent.

Without spoiling, I'd like to say, that I appreciated the conclusion in The Wait. It teases moments of melodrama, but deftly avoids tipping over the edge into a morass of standard outcomes. The ending is very satisfying and quite realistic in the context of what has preceded it in this very worthwhile film.
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5/10
Story with no story
marianmeili24 May 2022
I found the caracteristics very shallow except for Mikko (the priest), who did quite a good job except for his language. I don't think any priest would use curse words like he did.

The woman seemed to be just a sex addict. I didn't find any deeper interaction between the caracters, just addictive sex.

I liked the relaxed dialogues, Aku Hirviniemi was excellent.

There was not really a proper story or anything deeper. The movie had lots of glanses given between the wife and the guest and even though I normally love just slow camera scenes, in this one it didn't work.

Yet I give 5 stars since I loved the surroundings, the building, the dialogs and Aku Hirviniemi.

The wife and the guest on the contrary weren't credible at all...
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2/10
Women Empowerment, Not
GigaHT8 May 2023
So in modern day diverse dialog if a man does this to his wife, he is going to be called many unpleasant names.. But, If a woman does this, well, a girl needs what she needs. More power to her. You go girl you go!

See the double standard here?

And I really tried to find a fault in her husband but couldn't really.

So, what are we advocating here in the name of women empowerment and other slogans we hear nowadays? Classic marriage is so ancient? Being faithful to your spouse is so passé ? Let's drop all people and their culture in blender and make a new mix of brave new generation?

I can only hope that some of crazy trends and ideas we're witnessing today eventually simmers down and fade away, like 70's hippies and the like .
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7/10
Deepesterest movie
maviesek12 October 2023
Good movie, but not recommended to watch if you don't have enough taste.

By the way if you watch the movie in quarter speed, two unicorns pop out from the screen and one of them whispers the meaning of life into your one ear while other licks the other one!

And legend says that if you watch it with 2x speed in reverse then a square mustache appears under your nose and your hand raises in front of you and in the mean time, you become the ultimate cultural authority to decide what to understand when observe an art piece! And the ability of using hyphens anytime, anywhere and anysense would be a bonus!

Watch in peace.
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2/10
Poor story of a boring life of a Finnish couple
jannielschluter11 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is basically the story of a bored, two-faced, godless adulteress lacking emotional and psychological self-control and purpose. The wife of a preacher. A wife who has absolutely no problem in demeaning and cuckolding her husband behind his back.

A married couple that behaves like as if they were not married at all but were merely in a Teenage fling, having pointless regular sex without any purpose of raising children.

The man the wife has the affair with is a boring, corny creep lacking morality, too.

The husband is just pathetic with the typical cuckold vibe, does not love his wife, is boring and is without purpose or passion.

In another review I read "It empowers women without degrading men." and I had to shake my head. In what reality is the ordinary human of today living to think and argue like this? What does this adulterous, immoral, two-faced behavior "empower" a woman into? Into being a better human mankind can be proud of? The only empowerment we have here is the empowerment into more societal degeneration and glorification of sin and immorality. The husband is literally the very example of a husband one should NEVER be. A husband who does not love his wife, who just uses her wife for sex without having any children with her, treating her like as if she was a teenager, wasting her fruitful years of her life away? A husband who does not burn in passion for his wife but is absolutely indifferent towards her? That you do not call "degrading men"? As a man I feel absolutely offended if THAT is the image of a man I should even in the slightest agree with.

This movie is pretty much pointless and does not add any tangible value to the betterment of society - no wait, it is CARBON NEGATIVE! Just embarrassing.
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3/10
Just boring
jussipekkaturunen3 April 2022
3 stars: 1. Hirviniemi is able to throw some good lines and able to squeeze something out of his character. 2. Some really nice shooting and scenery. 3. After movie you can talk with your friend how lame the movies actually was.

The movie offers very very little. I had no foggiest idea what this piece was actually all about. Perhaps the idea was that people just want to invoke some drama when there's a change.
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8/10
Some reviewers eh
pigsmiceandmen8 January 2023
I often wonder why people bother leaving a review, maybe folk have to much time on their hands...A good example is the first review here...To quote. ''I had no foggiest idea what this piece was actually all about''. Yet still felt obliged to give three stars. Maybe it was genius, but because you don't know, it's rubbish. Well it's not. It's an art movie made with total skill and direction. It empowers women without degrading men. It moves at the perfect pace and, of course those Finns know how to do dark, minimal dialogue, beauty in the location. Inka Kallén is spectacular. But no surprise as she stole the show in All the sins. Aku Louhimies ,YES, I forgive you for rig45, is back on form...thank you for making movies like this. I'm glad Marvel fans don't get it.
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8/10
Good, Bad Ugly
tomyargo29 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I do not know language, and watch it w/o subtitle!!

That gave me a unique perspective, because I am not distracted with script.

First, I would like to congratulate the director. Very meticulous work with really nice pictures, angles and lights. (For example, husband pick his friend from dock to drop house. How many camera angles, side door, front of the car, static road camera, underneath window etc etc. I stop counting.) This movie could be watch just to see the director's work. Well done.

Second, artists. Without understanding dialogs, I could be able to read emotions, expressions. Not under or over performing. I gave them perfect, except friends visit house, some sort of party. Party scene was underperforming. Main characters was awesome.

Culture: I think Nordic culture has this fetish (I saw at Vikings series too) Some mysterious foreigner comes town, wifes/GF cheats, than that man is disappear and husbands come back. Maybe it is a cultural thing, I am not sure. Another thing nudist/naturalist line. I had enough with bare bum in this movie. Bum bum bum. Maybe climate has some effect on it. Maybe again Nordic needs to cover themselves most of the time due to weather, therefore they are more comfortable with nudity/ skinny dipping. I do not know.

I do not think cuckholding is empower woman. Cheating start with brain and finish there. I swap roles in my head and put myself woman's position. If I cheat my wife in that way; I will be disgust from myself. If I really desire another woman, I would share with my partner from day 1. Not secretly fling and than blast. The woman's behaviour is very teenager, rather than married person.

Overall, I would suggest this movie to viewers. The movie challenge people, provoke viewers. Worth to see.
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9/10
Female perspective on sexual frustration
aarponen7 April 2022
Beautiful landscape surrounds this very current movie and topic on female debating with issues: love, lust, wants and needs. Who am I and with whom?

Classical music adds depth and intensity to the story with the big question: am I happy? How to be happy?

Relevant reflection piece for anyone in a relationship or not in one. Worth seeing for the nature alone.
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9/10
Very clear message, but a very disturbing message
oparnie12 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Some one before me wrote under the headline "Some reviewers eh"

"It empowers women without degrading men"... "I'm glad Marvel fans don't get it"

I would say, anyone with a decent moral attitude will not "get it", at least not "It empowers women without degrading men".

The husbands best friend bangs the wife (who is after that "best friend" like a rolling cat), the wife openly tells her husband "I am sorry", then goes upstairs to bang the hell out of the husbands friend and herself, stays naked with the "friend" to the next morning, while the husband is downstairs in the marital bedroom, listening to their noises.

Clearly NOT HAPPY, clearly they do NOT have an open relationship, the wife does everything completely by her own decision, only.

I have no idea how more degrading it can become, except that the love birds had forced the husband to stay in the same room with them.

Well, I have to admit, I also don't get the husband's behavior afterwards, he half hearted tries to shoot the "friend", then invites him to visit again next year.

Any communication between wife and husband does not take place at all, afterwards. Just pretend as if nothing has happened.

This is how it ends (very unrealistic, except the husband is so extremely needy, that he bares anything his wife puts upon him).
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9/10
... one of the best of the genre... few will ever know of or realize just-how-good
bjarias9 September 2023
... the film 'The Wait' is bold in its controversial depiction of a brief affair between a rural pastor's spouse, and a past lover with whom she had many years ago been intensely-involved (still is) ... Inka Kallen co-authoring a screenplay of merit but surely to be upsetting for many who regard the wife's actions as exceptionally-deplorable abusively-cruel-controlling, and her husband's blind-simpleminded... (yet very intuitive... were he have to gone-in-fists-flailing in that highly dramatic scene , it would've cost him her... playing-longer-game.. yet keeping YKW in back of pickup just-in-case)

... very well produced and acted, it should remain one of the classic examples of the cheating-wife-genre, along with many other much more well-known-established films... its slow-pacing and lack of more extensive dialogue may be off-putting for some, but all-in-all it is an exceptional work... every detail matters, saying more than just being part of scenery or props... ocean-swims... wardrobe... doorways... music/sounds... lighting (or lack thereof)... oversized-rock on-her-finger (highlighted so many scenes, s/b listed in the credits)... et al

... everyone only watching this film once misses opportunity of realizing its full weight-meaning-innuendos... and should you choose viewing it again, be sure to do it half-speed... double-time-viewing, yet many more times an experience

... Elli, Makko, Olavi, Liina too... these are all great characters, would have loved seeing them in a series-long-production (mini or longer) where their depth could be more explored... Odotus just a 101 minute introduction to their complicated-histories-personalities-lives... having been introduced, now leaving us all 'waiting' wanting for more.
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