24/12/2024 - Mari Rantasila's music biopic paints a sensitive picture of Finnish 80s rock sensation Dingo, who took the whole country by storm but were swallowed up by their own fame

On 25 December, Finnish music fans of all ages received a very long-awaited Christmas present, the world-premiere of Levoton Tuhkimo (translation: Restless Cinderella), titled after the famous Dingo song. The biopic, directed by Jussi-winning actress and filmmaker Mari Rantasila (Parting, Risto Räppääjä [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), tells the story of one of the most successful bands in Finnish rock history, but with a strong focus on the internal struggles of its lead singer Pertti “Nipa” Neumann (played compellingly by Saku Taittonen). 

Dingo is the soundtrack of the lives of many Finns: their first mixtape, their first gig, the first kiss in the back of a car, and for newcomers to the country a key to learning the language. It is almost astounding that this movie hadn't already been made 20 years ago, but the timing is right: it comes 40 years after the release of Dingo’s debut album Nimeni on Dingo (“My name is Dingo”), and the movie is so captivating that it will lift the spirits after a difficult year.

There is nothing new about films about the rise and fall of a rock star, yet this picture is a gem, with so much soul put into it across all departments: actor Saku Taittonen expresses his character's duality between an inner turmoil, resulting from early childhood trauma caused by a controlling father, and a wounded pride so well that it is almost impossible to distinguish his performance from the original person he plays – and he can sing, too. Taittonen is flanked by an array of actors who get it just right: Elias Salonen shines in the role of Dingo’s first manager, Lasse “My salary is higher than the prime minister’s” Norres, who can go from 0 to 100 in seconds and whose on-screen temper tantrums give you goosebumps. The same can be said of Ronja Keiramo, who plays Nipa’s first partner Marika and says a lot with her eyes only.

The film does not miss a beat. Screenwriter Hanna Leivonniemi’s snappy dialogue, Sasu Joutsi’s vibrant and realistic set design, the well-paced editing by Hanna Kuirinlahti, as well as the costumes by Susse Roos transport the audience right back to the 80s.

If one had to criticise something in this film, it would be the absolute focus on singer Neumann, which relegates the other band members to the role of extras, although it would have been interesting to get their perspectives. However, the Pertti-mania was also the reason for the eventual disbanding of “the famous five” (the band eventually made several comebacks over the years, but in other formations). As Pertti explains to his band mates Eve and Pepe at some point in the film, each band has a boss and for Dingo, the boss is him. However, he does not feel like a boss inside and his father’s degrading comments follow him everywhere, even with his father gone. 

Levoton Tuhkimo will be starting out in Finnish and Estonian cinemas, but this film could also appeal to international audiences. They might not understand the poetic and witty romantic lyrics, but the music is infectious.

The film was produced by Yellow Film & TV, with support from the Finnish Film Foundation, Nordisk Film, YLE and the city of Pori. It is distributed by Nordisk Film.