Back home

The Missile

10 votes

Producing House

Niina, a single mother working for a small-town newspaper, is drawn into an investigation into the fall of a Soviet missile that upends her life and that of her small northern village.

movie

Status: Released

Released Date: 2024-02-02

Runtime: 114 mins

Director: Miia Tervo

Writer: Miia Tervo

Spoken language: English, suomi,

Genres: Drama, Comedy

Original title: The Missile

Production Companies: Elokuvayhtiö Komeetta, Stellar Film, Aurora Studios

Production Countries: Estonia, Finland

Reviews

B

Brent_Marchant
Who would have thought that a reserved, homespun single mother of two married to an abusive imprisoned husband could turn her life around by writing about the dangers of nuclear proliferation? But, if you’re Niina Kuittinen (Oona Airola), a young housewife living in rural Lapland, that’s precisely what happens when she takes a reporting job with a local newspaper and unwittingly stumbles into a story that almost any intrepid journalist would kill for – the crash of an off-course Soviet missile in the Finnish wilderness in 1984. She eagerly investigates the incident, despite limited experience as a reporter, little knowledge of nuclear weapons and resistance from her publisher (Hannu-Pekka Björkman), who doesn’t want to upset the locals with such depressing talk, insisting instead on running only upbeat but innocuous human interest stories. Niina is undeterred, however, throwing herself into a story that garners international attention, regardless of the challenges she faces. In doing so, she grows and matures, finding her footing as a newly empowered woman, as well as finding new love in a handsome, adoring and attentive military man (Pyry Kähkönen). Niina’s transformation gives her purpose and helps her to prepare for the impending release of her incarcerated toxic husband (Tommi Eronen), who returns home promising he’s changed, despite evidence to the contrary. Niina’s new life thus begins, ironically, thanks to her immersion in a devastating subject – but one that ultimately imbues her with a healthier, more realistic outlook on the wider world and the nature of her existence. Writer-director Miia Tervo’s fact-based third feature outing is another of those unexpected cinematic gems that effectively mixes genres in coming up with a delightful and enlightening film. Much of the first half presents a colorful portrait of the protagonist’s hometown, family and neighbors, featuring ample humor that’s decidedly quirky, deliciously deadpan and superbly understated, not unlike the folksy, unassuming laughs prevalent in movies like “Fargo” (1996). But, as Niina’s story unfolds, it takes on more serious overtones as viewers witness the character develop into someone who leaves behind the crippling naivete and obsequiousness that have long been holding her back. Admittedly, the film begins to drag a bit in the last act, needlessly stretching out material that’s easy to predict without having to belabor it. Nevertheless, “The Missile” is one of those pictures that audience members are likely to come away from feeling as though they’ve been warmly welcomed into a community of loving family and friends whom they’ve known for a long time but without the unduly burdensome trappings of schmaltz and sentimentality. And there’s a lot to be said for that, even if it takes a little taste of Armageddon to get us there.
2024-10-22

Recommendations

The Haunted House on Kirby Road
1.8

The Haunted House on Kirby Road

2016-09-09

Six stoner best friends discover a viral video of a local teen who disappeared years ago from an all

O agalitsas: Ena exagomeno koroido
2.4

O agalitsas: Ena exagomeno koroido

1985-01-01

An honest citizen finds a package containing twenty million drachmas and hands it over to the police

Joy
3.3

Joy

2015-12-24

A story based on the life of a struggling Long Island single mom who became one of the country's mos

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
3.5

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

2025-10-22

Bruce Springsteen, a young musician on the cusp of global superstardom, struggles to reconcile the p

Fat Chance
2.9

Fat Chance

2016-10-22

Alison, an overweight dental assistant, is challenged to find her self-worth when she falls into an

Lilya 4-ever
3.8

Lilya 4-ever

2002-08-23

In a struggling post-Soviet community, Lilya a teenage girl is abandoned when her mother moves to th

Mutiny on the Bounty
3.7

Mutiny on the Bounty

1935-11-22

Fletcher Christian successfully leads a revolt against the ruthless Captain Bligh on the HMS Bounty.

It's All Gone Pete Tong
3.3

It's All Gone Pete Tong

2004-09-12

A comedy following the tragic life of the legendary Frankie Wilde. The story takes us through Franki

Adventure of a Blind Kid
0

Adventure of a Blind Kid

1967-12-13

The blind Yip Man-chiu was abandoned at birth. Following the death of his foster parents, the boy is

It Could Happen to You
3.3

It Could Happen to You

1994-07-16

Charlie Lang is a simple, kindhearted New York City cop. When he realizes he has no money to tip wai

Wall Street
3.6

Wall Street

1987-12-10

A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
3.4

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

1986-09-24

Arriving in Chicago, Henry moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis and starts schooling him in the wa

Henry V
3.6

Henry V

1989-10-05

In the midst of the Hundred Years War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of

The Squid and the Whale
3.5

The Squid and the Whale

2005-10-05

Based on the true childhood experiences of Noah Baumbach and his brother, The Squid and the Whale te

Escape from Alcatraz
3.8

Escape from Alcatraz

1979-06-22

San Francisco Bay, January 18, 1960. Frank Lee Morris is transferred to Alcatraz, a maximum security

The Clearing
2.9

The Clearing

2004-07-02

When affluent executive Wayne Hayes is kidnapped by a disgruntled employee and held for ransom in a

The Shadow in My Eye
3.9

The Shadow in My Eye

2021-10-28

On March 21st, 1945, the British Royal Air Force set out on a mission to bomb Gestapo's headquarters

Gridiron Gang
3.5

Gridiron Gang

2006-09-15

Under the leadership of their counselor, teenagers at a juvenile detention center gain self-esteem b

Lords of Dogtown
3.5

Lords of Dogtown

2005-06-03

The radical true story behind three teenage surfers from Venice Beach, California, who took skateboa

Philadelphia
3.9

Philadelphia

1993-12-22

Two competing lawyers join forces to sue a prestigious law firm for AIDS discrimination. As their un