The House of Branching Love

Ah, Finland in the summertime! As the light shimmers golden on the lakes, lovers dine al fresco and take leisurely midnight swims. Abruptly, though, our tranquil scene is shattered by agonizing shrieks as one unhappy couple fights tooth and claw for emotional domination. THE HOUSE OF BRANCHING LOVE is a quirky comedy with haunting undertones; chock-full of bloodthirsty characters, it's a Scandinavian “War of the Roses” — but much sexier. Tuula and Juhani are family counselors whose marriage is on the rocks. The only goal they share is to make each other as mad as possible. Tuula, a harpy who adds welcome new insults to the divorce-movie genre, invites a handsome seaplane pilot to a romantic dinner at their house. Juhani, a big lump of a guy, gets his half-brother the pimp to pay a girl to pretend she's his lover. There's also a horny gynecologist, menacing Estonian drug dealers, and a hooker who falls out of a hotel window, smack in front of the Big Baba bar. Rife with Shakespearean complications, THE HOUSE OF BRANCHING LOVE culminates in complete mayhem — in that once-tranquil house by the lake. (In Finnish with subtitles) – B.B.