Leningrad Cowboys Go America **** (1989, Matti Pellonpää, Kari Väänänen, Sakke Järvenpää) – Classic Movie Review 6444

Cult director Aki Kaurismäki’s determinedly oddball 1989 comedy from Finland tells the story of a spectacularly untalented Siberian rock band, the fictional Leningrad Cowboys, travelling across America with their manager Vladimir (Matti Pellonpää) to look for rock ‘n’ roll, fame and fortune.

What they find is hunger, the village idiot Igor (Kari Väänänen), who wants to join the band. and finally a gig at a Mexican wedding.

Kaurismäki plays the absurdist nonsense straight and harvests a grand crop of quirky laughs for the many admirers of his wacky style.

Director Jim Jarmusch appears as a car dealer. Also in the cast are Sakke Jarvenpää, Heikki Keskinen, Pimme Korhonen, Sakari Kuosmanen, Silu Seppälä, Puka Oinonen, Mauri Sumën, Mato Valtonen, Pekka Virtanen (as The Leningrad Cowboys) and Nicky Tesco as Lost Cousin.

It is written by Aki Kaurismäki, shot by Timo Salminen, produced by Aki Kaurismäki, Klas Olofsson and Katinka Farago, and scored by Mauri Sumën.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6444

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