It is easy to forget, in the midst of our battle for gender equality, about the enormous pressure placed upon men in the name of stoicism, rationality, and masculinity.
Miesten vuoro is a Finnish documentary about Finnish men. The English title "Steam of Life" is no more a direct translation than it is an appropriate summation of the film. "Miesten vuoro" really means "men's turn," and I don't think anyone, English language distributer or otherwise, could think of a more lovingly descriptive title.
In it, a series of men, for lack of a better cliché, "talk about their feelings" in a bunch of different saunas. Sounds rather vaginal when I put it that way, doesn't it? It's not, though. What the men say to each other in the heat of the sauna is well articulated and (seemingly) utterly genuine. While some painful topics are covered, the film does not come off as the least bit exploitive.
Finnish men are known for being quiet, reserved sorts. In that sense, they are archetypal men; their emotional lives are internal if (we wonder) they exist at all. If they choose to alter their stoic exteriors, they do so through the expression of anger and violence. Finnish men have had a stereotype superimposed on them, and this is it.
But the men in this film, a few of them laborers or army veterans, open up for each other and for the film crew. They recount painful experiences, life changing events, and what it is they felt and continue to feel as a result They are not blubbering babies, or even men looking to impress women with their emotional intelligence. They are men who maintain their sisu even as they rely on one another to listen - even as they cry.
When I read a bit about the theory of gynocentrism in school, one article claimed that "male values" -- things like intellectual achievement, scientific thought, rationality, what have you -- had overshadowed so-called "feminine values," like nurturance and more nurturance. That male values were ascribed more importance. That female values ought to be the basis on which society functions. That we should all go out and nurture the shit out of each other. When I was asked to comment on the subject in class, I said, "But intellectual achievement, science, and rationality are inherently valuable. So is nurturance. The trouble comes when we are prescribed values to possess and roles in which to act." I know it seems obvious, but second-wave feminism can be truly dense sometimes.
Miesten vuoro was made for men and, in particular, for men who feel burdened by the constant stoicism that is often expected of them. That's not to say that women can't enjoy it or won't understand it; in fact, it's pretty difficult not to be moved by it. It's just that, when you're watching it, you get the sense that you're suddenly privy to a very personal type of male camaraderie. The film is itself a bit like the sauna -- a place in which acknowledgment of these emotions is permissible. And if you're anything like me, it'll remind you why you love men so very much.
Well, if you happen to think this lil' lady should stop blabbing so much, you can find a much more succinct and informative review here. But seriously, if you have the chance to see it, do.
Miesten vuoro is a Finnish documentary about Finnish men. The English title "Steam of Life" is no more a direct translation than it is an appropriate summation of the film. "Miesten vuoro" really means "men's turn," and I don't think anyone, English language distributer or otherwise, could think of a more lovingly descriptive title.
In it, a series of men, for lack of a better cliché, "talk about their feelings" in a bunch of different saunas. Sounds rather vaginal when I put it that way, doesn't it? It's not, though. What the men say to each other in the heat of the sauna is well articulated and (seemingly) utterly genuine. While some painful topics are covered, the film does not come off as the least bit exploitive.
Finnish men are known for being quiet, reserved sorts. In that sense, they are archetypal men; their emotional lives are internal if (we wonder) they exist at all. If they choose to alter their stoic exteriors, they do so through the expression of anger and violence. Finnish men have had a stereotype superimposed on them, and this is it.
But the men in this film, a few of them laborers or army veterans, open up for each other and for the film crew. They recount painful experiences, life changing events, and what it is they felt and continue to feel as a result They are not blubbering babies, or even men looking to impress women with their emotional intelligence. They are men who maintain their sisu even as they rely on one another to listen - even as they cry.
When I read a bit about the theory of gynocentrism in school, one article claimed that "male values" -- things like intellectual achievement, scientific thought, rationality, what have you -- had overshadowed so-called "feminine values," like nurturance and more nurturance. That male values were ascribed more importance. That female values ought to be the basis on which society functions. That we should all go out and nurture the shit out of each other. When I was asked to comment on the subject in class, I said, "But intellectual achievement, science, and rationality are inherently valuable. So is nurturance. The trouble comes when we are prescribed values to possess and roles in which to act." I know it seems obvious, but second-wave feminism can be truly dense sometimes.
Miesten vuoro was made for men and, in particular, for men who feel burdened by the constant stoicism that is often expected of them. That's not to say that women can't enjoy it or won't understand it; in fact, it's pretty difficult not to be moved by it. It's just that, when you're watching it, you get the sense that you're suddenly privy to a very personal type of male camaraderie. The film is itself a bit like the sauna -- a place in which acknowledgment of these emotions is permissible. And if you're anything like me, it'll remind you why you love men so very much.
Well, if you happen to think this lil' lady should stop blabbing so much, you can find a much more succinct and informative review here. But seriously, if you have the chance to see it, do.
I haven't watched it yet, but it sounds interesting. Gotta remember to watch it someday. We still have a long list of movies to watch - as well as TV series ha ha...
ReplyDeleteIf you're prone to crying a bit during movies, this one might have that effect. It did for me. But my recommendation stands. :P
DeleteHe he he...some movies can make me bawl (not just cry a bit). Depends on my mood and the movie itself, though. :-D
Delete