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danielle-fuller
Reviews
Vuosaari (2012)
Full of passion & a universal humanity
When I saw Naked Harbour at a Kennedy Center Film Festival, I did not expect to connect so deeply with these characters in this community in Finland. I am a Black woman from West Baltimore. I thought I was going to sit quietly, watch the film, and quietly whisper "How nice" at the end.
Nope. The writers, director and actors sucked me into their stories within the first few scenes. First, I was surprised to see an actor of color. Smiling to myself in the dark theater, I watched a tumultuous interracial relationship unfold on the screen. The girlfriend was verbally abusive and rather unpleasant. The comments that she made and the names she called her boyfriend made me angry. I shifted in my seat and grew hot under my collar as she berated her boyfriend. I have been in my fair share of interracial relationships and if any of my partners ever uttered the things that she said to him
there would be serious problems. But moments after the abuse, the couple embraced and groped each other
and then I had that aha moment. I felt the raw passion of their relationship and I understood their constant thrill seeking behavior. I got it. But it was so sweet because I could FEEL it.
I found myself muttering under my breath during another scene. This scene was between a wife and her cheating husband at dinner and later in the sauna as she exposes his infidelity in the presence of his young lover. At that moment in the film, I wanted to be in my best friend's basement as we sipped wine and shot glances full of bewilderment and anticipation across the room at each other. The actress who played the wife made me lean forward into her performance. I felt as connected to her and this scene as if I were watching Terry McMillian's Waiting to Exhale. This actress was Angela Bassett FIERCE! (And that is the highest of praises from me!) The Finnish actress was smoldering like the cigarette that Angela Bassett's character lit from the flames of her cheating husband's burning Mercedes after she set it ablaze. The Sauna scene in this film really fascinated me. The coolness of wife
she was so sophisticated and posh and then moments later she breaks down and her humanity bursts forth
wow.
I got sucked into each story. I felt what they felt
and I felt their passion
I connected with these characters even though it seemed like we were worlds apart. Each story was beautifully told. And I enjoyed every performance. I would go on and on
but I have to stop somewhere. I loved this movie!